


Miraculous Contempt

by M_V_P_Knight



Category: Miraculous Ladybug
Genre: Action, F/M, Hatred, Identity Reveal, Love, Romance
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-02-20
Updated: 2020-05-16
Packaged: 2021-02-27 20:41:35
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 14
Words: 48,099
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22811803
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/M_V_P_Knight/pseuds/M_V_P_Knight
Summary: Ladybug picked the worst or possibly the best time to figure out Hawk Moth's identity. Cat Noir has given some thought to the way Ladybug has treated him and is considering ending their partnership. Adrien and Marinette are both in relationships with other people that leave them disappointed. And on top of that, Mayura now has unlimited use of her miraculous.
Relationships: Adrien Agreste | Chat Noir/Marinette Dupain-Cheng | Ladybug
Comments: 71
Kudos: 56





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> (On the day M.V.P. Knight watched the season 2 finale) "I'm so excited to finally see the identity reveal. I've been waiting patiently for this, even though it should have happened at the end of season 1." And then it didn't happen.
> 
> (Fast forward to the day M.V.P. Knight watched the season 3 finally) "Okay, this is it! This is the day I witness the reveal! Granted, I thought it would happen last finale, but they can't possibly drag this out any further, could they?" And then it didn't happen.
> 
> M.V.P. Knight reached into the safe and pulled out the fanfiction gauntlet. "Fine. I'll do it myself."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> (On the day M.V.P. Knight watched the season 2 finale) "I'm so excited to finally see the identity reveal. I've been waiting patiently for this, even though it should have happened at the end of season 1." And then it didn't happen.  
> (Fast forward to the day M.V.P. Knight watched the season 3 finale) "Okay, this is it! This is the day I witness the reveal! Granted, I thought it would happen last finale, but they can't possibly drag this out any further, could they?" And then it didn't happen.  
> M.V.P. Knight reached into the safe and pulled out the fanfiction gauntlet. "Fine. I'll do it myself."

It was a regular day in Paris; which, for the past few years, has meant that there was a super villain rampaging through the streets, screaming about something that usually wasn’t worth rampaging through the streets. Ladybug landed on a nearby rooftop and thought, “I didn’t think Nora was THAT upset about it. I’ll have to work things out with her and Alya once this is over.” Ladybug looked over the villain, trying to figure out where the akuma was. This villain’s costume was mostly grey with many randomly placed white streaks. Over her eyes were grey and white goggles which Ladybug recognized. “Those are probably the goggles she was wearing when she asked Alya to go to a paint ball game with her. That must be where the akuma is hiding.” Hoping she could end this early, she jumped from the rooftop and flung her yoyo at the goggles. The villain heard the zipping sound and quickly swung her fist to the side, casting a gust of wind that blew the yoyo off course. Ladybug landed on the sidewalk and said, “I remember you. You were Anansi last time, right?”  
  
The villain replied, “Call me Air Cannon. Now let’s get this over with. There are a bunch of kids I need to pulverize. But first, the annoying voice in my head still wants your earrings for some reason, so hand them over.”  
  
Ladybug said mockingly, “Or what? You’ll huff and you’ll puff and you’ll blow my house down?”  
  
Air Cannon replied, “Don’t give me ideas.” Ladybug thought Air Cannon was too far away to do any real damage. She was wrong. Air Cannon punch the air in her direction and a blast of wind exploded, sending Ladybug crashing into a wall. Ladybug landed on her feet, but she wasn’t prepared for battle. The pain in her back and head was manageable, but her eyes stung and she couldn’t keep them open. Air Cannon charged as the wind pushed her forward. Ladybug could barely see, but she could hear stumping and feel the earth trembling. Using those senses, she chose the proper moment to leap high above Air Cannon’s head as she passed under her. Unfortunately, after Air Cannon smashed her way into the building, the wind that traveled with her was enough to pull Ladybug through the hole in the wall. Air Cannon continued smashing through walls and Ladybug kept tumbling along behind her like a can on a string until they made it outside on the other side of the building. Ladybug rubbed her eyelids, trying fix the stinging. She looked forward and saw the blurry image of Air Cannon holding a car above her head. Ladybug tried to wrap her yoyo string on something she could use to pull herself to safety, but her vision was too blurry her that kind of aiming. Air Cannon threw the car which was carried quickly by the wind. Upon impact, Ladybug’s body was spread across the roof of the car. Ladybug and the car flew together until they came to the hole in the wall where the car’s hood and trunk crashed into the edges and Ladybug landed back inside the building. Ladybug thought, “I am definitely going to need back up . . . and a pair of goggles.”  
  
Air Cannon pushed the car out of the way and searched for Ladybug, but she was nowhere in sight. She punched rapidly in different directions, sending blasts of wind to destroying anything that would have made an obvious hiding place. Air Cannon grunted and said, “That poser must have run off. Doesn’t matter though; I can always find her later. In the meantime, Adrien needs to get what’s coming to him.”  
  
As soon as Air Cannon was gone, Ladybug dropped down from the ceiling, glad that Air Cannon didn’t think to look up, but afraid for Adrien’s life. Ladybug ran outside, rubbed her eyes a little, and tried to reach her partner on her communicator. As it dialed, she whispered, “Come on, Cat Noir. Pick up.” The dialing stopped without any luck. There wasn’t time to leave a message, so, after a groan of frustration, she hung up and swung off in the direction of Adrien’s mansion. On the way there, she thought, “I wish we had a way to communicate when we aren’t transformed.” She sighed when she realized there was a way for them to contact each other in civilian form, but she wasn’t about to use it.

  
  
Thankfully, Ladybug arrived at the Agreste mansion before Air Cannon. Adrien was on his way to the gate when Ladybug landed in front of him. “Ladybug?”  
  
“Adrien, there is an akuma victim after you!”  
  
“Again? I seem to be pretty popular with them.”  
  
Ladybug wondered how he could be so calm about it, but she was in too much of a rush to ask him why. Ladybug explained, “I need to get you to safety and I need to buy some goggles in a short amount of time, so I’m going to have to bring you with me to the store.”  
  
Ladybug was confused by Adrien not being afraid of the super villain, but suddenly panicking at the idea of going to the store with her. Adrien told her nervously, “Oh, I have friends who can give me a place to hide until this blows over. You go to the store while I . . .”  
  
“Your friends are targets too! I sorry, Adrien, but we have to get going.”  
  
Adrien tried to think of another excuse, but he knew there was no getting out of this. He turned back to the car that had just dropped him off and said, “Gorilla!”  
  
The car window rolled down and the driver looked at him. Adrien continued, “There is a super villain coming. I need you to make sure Father and Nathalie are out of the house.” Gorilla nodded without a word.  
  
Ladybug put her arm around his waist and he put his arms around her neck. It felt . . . strange. If it happened a month ago, it would have been the highlight of their day. But they had each made the horrible mistake of dating other people and they were each in the arms of their “““““FORMER””””” crush while trying to stay loyal. In this awkward position, Ladybug swung away, hoping she wouldn’t drop him or crash or enjoy this too much.

  
  
They arrived at a hardware store where Ladybug was sure she would find some kind of protective eye covering. When they walked in, Ladybug caught more than a few eyes. Some people wrote her off as a cosplayer, but most of them started wondering if Ladybug did all her shopping in her costume. As they searched for the goggles, Adrien pulled out his phone and made a call while explaining, “I have to make sure everyone is alright.” The phone dialed for a while before Adrien took the phone away from his face and said, confused, “Voicemail? Usually, Nathalie is easier to get a hold of than Father.” Next, Adrien sent a text to Gorilla which read, “Are Father and Nathalie out of the house?” What Adrien got back was a picture of a thumbs up from Gorilla. Adrien said, “That would be how he responds.”  
  
Adrien then asked Ladybug, “So, what does this super villain want with me and my friends?”  
  
“Her real name is Nora. She’s mad because now that Alya does so much triple dating with Nino, you, Kagami, Marinette, and Luka, she doesn’t get to hang out with her sister anymore.”  
  
Adrien said, “You seem to know all the specific names and details. How do you know so much about this?”  
  
Ladybug started stuttering while trying to think of an explanation. Eventually, she said nervously, “Oh, you know super villains; they never shut up about their tragic backstory.”  
  
Adrien accepted her explanation, despite all the red flags in her delivery. Ladybug finally found the goggles and exclaimed, “Yes!” as she grabbed one.  
  
Adrien also grabbed a pair and said, “Since I’m a target, I should probably have one of these just in case. They both started walking towards the checkout counter, but Ladybug stopped and turned back, saying, “I should probably get one for Cat Noir too.”  
  
Once Ladybug had the extra pair, Adrien said, “Um. Maybe Cat Noir will come with his own pair.”  
  
“I doubt it. Cat Noir never really thinks things through. And he hasn’t been very reliable today.”  
  
Those words hit Adrien hard. Adrien thought, “‘Not very reliable’? It’s HER fault that Cat Noir can’t give her any back up.” He stood speechless as Ladybug tried calling Cat Noir one more time. In the past, he would hear her saying things like that and rationalize it or maybe even agree with her. He felt like he had to because she was the woman of his dreams. He didn’t want to admit that she could be cruel before. But he was dating Kagami, so he didn’t have to rationalize anything anymore. And thus began a mental chain reaction.  
  
As they checked out the goggles, Ladybug was sure that Adrien had gotten quite all of a sudden, but she was not sure if he was upset about something. His face was hard to read. He stopped making eye contact and his expressions would only slightly convey an emotion before he snapped back to an empty demeanor. Once the purchases were complete, Adrien said, “Alright, we can split up now because there’s no way this super villain is going to think to look . . .”  
  
The automated doors parted and a familiar voice said, “Look who I found.”  
  
Adrien looked at Air Cannon with annoyance. Not fear, just annoyance. Ladybug asked, “Air Cannon? How did you find us?”  
  
“The voice in my head figured you would come here for goggles.”  
  
Ladybug quickly put on her goggles and said, “Really?! He’s usually not that good at anticipating my plans.”  
  
Adrien also put on his goggles, turned around, and tried to run to a hiding place, but Air Cannon pulled back her fist, causing wind to pull Adrien in her direction. Ladybug wrapped her yoyo around a part of the checkout counter so she could stay anchored were she stood. She reached out and tried to grab Adrien’s hand as he flew by, but it was no use. Air Cannon grabbed Adrien. Ladybug’s heart raced. With no time to plan, she immediately leaped at Air Cannon, not fully knowing what she would do when she reached her. Air Cannon hit her with the back of her hand and the wind sent her flying to the other side of the store. Once she was back on her feet, she saw a flurry of power tools and nails coming toward her. She dived into the nearest isle, worrying that she wouldn’t be able to reach Adrien in time.  
  
Air Cannon dragged Adrien to a nearby pillar and tied him up with a garden hose she didn’t even have the decency to purchase first. Air Cannon explained tiredly, “Look, I don’t know why, but the voice insists that I save you for last.”  
  
Adrien wondered why Hawk Moth would do that. Ladybug, on the other hand, didn’t hear a word of that and assumed that she had little time to rescue Adrien. Ladybug knew it was early, especially since Cat Noir wasn’t ready to help, but her panic pushed her to summon a, “LUCKY CHARM!” What landed in her hands was arguably the most ironic lucky charm she ever received. “A metal butterfly? Of all things, why would it be a butterfly?!”  
  
What followed was miserable. Trying to figure out how to use the lucky charm was a case of water, water everywhere, but not a drop to drink. There were so many tools and gadgets down each isle, but what was she supposed to combine with a metal butterfly? That question racked her brain as she struggled to dodge everything that Air Cannon blasted her way. At least one of them wasn’t at a loss for how to use the surrounding resources. Every so often, Air Cannon hit Ladybug with something sharp, casting a little blood here and little blood there. In time, Ladybug’s blood could be found most every isle. This went on for three minutes. Ladybug thought, “This is hopeless! I’m going to transform back in two minutes, Adrien is in serious danger, I have no back up, and no idea how to use this stupid lucky charm! I have to get out of here!”  
  
Ladybug grabbed a buzz saw blade and threw into the garden hose, cutting Adrien free. She quickly swung to him, picked him up, and carried him out the door. When Air Cannon ran out the door, she, thankfully, still wouldn’t look up. As Ladybug and Adrien hung above her, they heard Air Cannon say, “This again?! Fine. As long as we’re saving Adrien for last, I guess we can get to Marinette next.”  
  
As soon as Air Cannon ran off, Ladybug put Adrien down and said in a hurry, “She probably won’t think to come back here, so you should be safe! I have to go now!” and then she swung away.  
  
Adrien didn’t waste any more time. He ran into the nearest alley. He threw his pair of goggled straight up, said, “Plagg, claws out,” and after he transformed into Cat Noir, he caught the goggles as they fell back down. He called Ladybug and she answered almost immediately.  
  
“Cat Noir, where have you been?!”  
  
He wanted to tell her, “I’VE BEEN KIDNAPPED BY YOOOUUUUU!” But he decided to instead say, “There is no time! Adrien Agreste told me that Air Cannon is after Marinette. I’m going to her house right now.”  
  
“NO! WAIT! I’ve . . . I’ve already made sure she was safe after leaving Adrien.”  
  
Cat Noir was furious. He thought, “You dirt, dirty liar. You left twenty seconds ago. There’s no way you could have done that.” He told Ladybug out loud with anger that surprised her, “I’m going to her house! You can join me there if you feel like helping!” and then he immediately hung up.  
  
Ladybug knew he saw through her lie. She just didn’t know how. There was no point in trying to convince him that she was telling the truth. She wanted a way to meet up with Cat Noir and she was about to transform back anyway, so going to her house didn’t seem like such a bad idea.

  
  
Ladybug landed on the roof just in time. She transformed back into Marinette and caught Tikki, who almost fell to the floor. Marinette said, “This day is a disaster! Cat Noir and I are barely on speaking terms, Air Cannon is too strong, and I have no idea what to do with this . . .” Her voice trailed off as she stared at the lucky charm in her hand.  
  
Tikki asked, “What’s wrong?”  
  
“I still have it. . . . I always figured it would disappear if transformed back, but here it is.” The revelation combined with the fact that it was a metal butterfly reminded her of something that was under a brand new light. “Tikki, do you remember the day when we suspected that Gabriel Agreste might be Hawk Moth?”  
  
“Yes.”  
  
“The reason we wrote him off was because Gabriel was akumatized. I just assumed that he couldn’t have detransformed and akumatized himself. But if a lucky charm could last after I detransform, maybe an akuma could have lasted after he detransformed! If that’s possible, than Gabriel Agreste could still be Hawk Moth!” A realization fell over Marinette. She struck her forehead with her palm and said, “Ah, of course that’s how it works! Master Fu made a sentimonster, detransformed, and then it lasted for a century! Why didn’t I think of this sooner?”  
  
“But . . . if a metal butterfly was all you needed to figure it out, why didn’t that happen sooner?”  
  
Marinette thought for a moment before answering, “Maybe it was a matter of timing. Maybe it’s almost time to defeat Hawk Moth.”  
  
Marinette saw Cat Noir coming. She quickly gave Tikki a cookie and motioned for her to hide in her purse. Cat Noir landed on the roof and said, “Marinette, there is a super villain coming. I need to get you to safety.”  
  
“Wait! Why don’t I stay here as bait, and then when the super villain gets here, I can run off while you attack?”  
  
“Hm. That might work. But what about your parents?”  
  
“They’re out of town for the day.”  
  
“Oh, good. I guess we have a plan.”  
  
Cat Noir looked out over the balcony, vigilantly waiting for Air Cannon. Much to Marinette’s surprise, Cat Noir let out a snort like laugh.  
  
She asked, “What’s so funny?”  
  
“It’s just . . . I wish that Ladybug and I could communicate like this.”  
  
Marinette put her hands on her hips and said, “What do you mean?”  
  
Cat Noir answered as if he had it rehearsed, “Ladybug never lets me in on the plan or tells me critical information that she is, of course, allowed to know. Do you know how we defeated Backwarder? She threw me at the villain so she could hit me, without telling me what was going on. It really wouldn’t have been so hard for her to say, ‘Hey, we’re going to use her power on you so you’ll do all that stuff you did backwards and release the akuma.’ But of course not.”  
  
At first, Marinette thought, “Well, it worked, didn’t it?” But then she reconsidered and admitted, “I guess it would have been nice for you to have a heads up.”  
  
“You know, I’ve gotten myself a girlfriend recently.”  
  
For once, Marinette’s spirits lifted. “Really? That’s great!”  
  
“Yeah. And it’s given me new clarity. Today, I’ve been thinking about how Ladybug treats me. You’ve seen for yourself how little Ladybug trusts me.”  
  
“That’s not true,” Marinette insisted, “Of course Ladybug trusts you.”  
  
“The day she gave you the Mouse Miraculous. Sure, it was fine for her to know your secret identity, but as soon as I saw who you were, you could never be Multimouse again.”  
  
“Uuuumm.” Marinette didn’t want to admit it, but he had a good point. That whole stunt she pulled as Multimouse was done to keep Cat Noir from knowing she was Ladybug, not because she didn’t trust him with the temporary miraculous holders’ identities. She didn’t really think through the implications that Cat Noir would take from it.  
  
Cat Noir said, “I could go on and on about examples, but what hurts the most is that she still hasn’t told me who she is under that mask.”  
  
“She can’t tell you that.”  
  
“Why not?”  
  
“Because . . . uh . . .” She had never to explain it before. “Well . . . what if someone tortures you into telling them who she is?”  
  
Cat Noir said, “You know that I’d die before giving out that information.”  
  
Marinette sighed. She did know that. “What if . . . oh, what if a super villain gets control of you again and makes you tell them?”  
  
“Nice try, but if Hawk Moth was smart enough to ask about secret identities, then he would have had a super villain ask me who I was any one of the many times that’s happened.”  
  
Marinette had never thought of that before, but that checked out. No super villain who ever had Cat Noir under their control ever asked him who he was. Marinette tried again. “What if . . .”  
  
Cat Noir said, “What if I’m in my civilian identity and Ladybug can’t call me because she doesn’t know my number?”  
  
“Um.”  
  
Cat Noir continued, “What if we can’t talk through how to defeat Hawk Moth because my ‘partner’ doesn’t want to talk to me outside of super villain attacks?”  
  
“Uh.”  
  
“What if I lay awake at night, wondering what I did that was so wrong?”  
  
“You didn’t. This isn’t about what you’ve done.”  
  
Cat Noir continued, “What if I blame myself for not being good enough when I should be blaming her for not seeing that I am? It makes me sick to remember the way I always thought about her. So many times, I’ve supported her emotionally, but all she ever does is talk to me like I’m stupid. I accepted the fact that she doesn’t love me. But I can’t take the fact that she doesn’t trust me, respect me, or care about me. So many times, I’ve taken a hit for her, but she would never do the same for me. To her, I’m just some dumb lackey; that’s how she sees me; not as a ‘partner’ or even as a friend.”  
  
The sound of Marinette gasping made Cat Noir turn quickly in her direction. She wiped a tear from her face and said in a weak voice, “I . . . I never knew Ladybug made you feel that way.”  
  
Cat Noir gently put his hands on the sides of her shoulders and said, “Hey, don’t be sad, Marinette.”  
  
After a bit of sniffling, Marinette said, “Cat Noir, you’re wrong about how Ladybug sees you. You mean so much to her.”  
  
Cat Noir didn’t think she was right, but he told her warmly, “Thank you for saying that.”  
  
“Are you . . . going to leave Ladybug?”  
  
He hesitated. “I need to think. I don’t want to do anything big too quickly.”  
  
The fact that he didn’t immediately shoot down the idea was heart breaking. Marinette thought, “I need to talk to him as Ladybug. I just don’t know what I’m going to say.”  
  
Cat Noir looked out to the streets just in time to see Air Cannon on her way to them. Cat Noir said, “She’s coming. Time to get you out of here.” Cat Noir picked up Marinette and jumped to the street below.  
  
As Cat Noir put her down, Marinette said, “Be careful. She’s pret . . . she looks pretty tough.”  
  
“Don’t worry. This is just another regular day in Paris."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope you enjoy the first chapter of my first fanfiction. I'll try to upload a chapter every Saturday until it's finished. Thanks for reading and I hope you come back for more of my work.


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Author's note: You may have noticed from my bio that I want action to be one of the selling points of my stories. For this chapter, I would love to hear feedback on that, specifically. There is a lot more of it in this chapter than there was in the last one. I hope you enjoy it.

Air Cannon arrived in front of the house and shouted, “MARINETTE!”

Cat Noir turned the corner and said, “You just missed her. But I can handle all questions, comments, or concerns you have for her.”

“Fine; at least someone on my list is here.”

Cat Noir ran toward her while she pulled back her fist. Now, Cat Noir isn’t really a better fight than Ladybug, per say. However, some weapons, abilities, or skills can be more effective against different enemies and situations. It also helped that Cat Noir knew what to expect. When Air Cannon punched a blast of wind toward him, Cat Noir struck his staff into the concrete and held on. The wind washed over him, but he held his position. He took his staff out of the concrete and charged forward again as if her attack amounted to nothing. Air Cannon punched wind at him multiple times, always yielding the same result. Cat Noir reached his target and hit her with his staff over and over again. Air Cannon grabbed Cat Noir and blasted into the sky. Air Cannon held Cat Noir beneath her and, with the wind pushing them down, she prepared to land on him. Cat Noir tried to figure out how to get out of her hold, but he came up with nothing. Suddenly, he felt a string wrap around his leg and he was ripped out of Air Cannon’s grasp. Ladybug caught Cat Noir while Air Cannon cratered.

Cat Noir got out of Ladybug’s arms as quickly as possible. He didn’t thank her and it hurt to know why. Ladybug, trying not to sound emotional, said, “The akuma is in her goggles.”

“Got it.”

Air Cannon growled, “You two are so annoying. No wonder the voices in my head want you gone.”

Cat Noir said, “No, he wants us gone because . . . did you just say the ‘voices’? As in plural.”

“Yeah. What about it?”

Ladybug and Cat Noir both figured it out. If Air Cannon had two voices in her head, one of them was Mayura; which meant there was a sentimonster somewhere out there. They both also figured out that this sentimonster would be after Nino, Kagami, and Luka. Cat Noir told Ladybug with urgency, “Find and protect the other targets! I’ll take care of Air Cannon!”

“But . . .”

“I’ve got this! GO, NOW!”

Ladybug swung off, leaving Cat Noir and Air Cannon alone. Air Cannon said, “You scared, pipsqueak? Your girl isn’t here for you anymore.”  
Cat Noir whispered, “I’m starting to get used to that.” He ran at Air Cannon and swung his staff at her. She caught the staff in her hand and smiled, confident that she had the advantage. But Cat Noir wasted no time with his contingency plan. He split his staff in two, letting her hold one side and extended his side. He spun around and WHACK!

  
Ladybug was on her way to Luka’s boat, but she noticed something big near the Eiffel Tower. She landed on a roof top and got a good look at the enormous spider. It was grey, had massive blades at the end of each of its eight legs, and was the biggest sentimonster yet. Nino, Kagami, and Luka were stuck in a web on the Eiffel Tower. Nino didn’t deserve this! Ladybug said, “What a horrible day!” She had little faith that she could defeat it alone. But there was no alternative. Ladybug leaped off the roof and swung towards the sentimonster that she decided to call Arachnisaurus. When Ladybug was close enough to be seen, Arachnisaurus charged at her. Ladybug pulled on her yoyo string to leap over a bladed leg that was coming straight towards her. Next, she anchored the yoyo to one of the legs and swung around three other legs to wrap them together and trip Arachnisaurus. Using what little time that would buy her, she rushed to the Eiffel Tower and ripped Luka off of the web. She just had to save him first, didn’t she? Luka looked at her with his creepy derp-smile and said a cliché with his stupid, mellow voice. “I knew you’d come.” For reasons undiscernible by man, Ladybug was actually charmed by his barf inducing act, and his pretentious ego, and his hideous, black fingernails. A bladed leg was raised and moved in their direction. Ladybug jumped out of the way and, because there is not enough justice in this world, Luka was unharmed. Ladybug carried Luka to safety and instructed him to get further away. Then she needed to choose a captive to save next. She chose poorly.  
  
Ladybug swung towards Arachnisaurus. It was about to strike her out of the sky when she threw her yoyo, hitting the sentimonster in one of its eyes. Arachnisaurus shrieked as Ladybug ran on its back jumped towards the Eifel Tower. As Ladybug ripped her off of the web, Kagami asked, “Have you brought the dragon miraculous?” She would have thanked Ladybug, but that would have required a heart that isn’t made out of stone and ice.  
  
Ladybug replied, “No, I didn’t.” She almost told Kagami that because Hawk Moth knows her identity, it isn’t safe anymore. But that talk she had with Cat Noir got her thinking. If the villain knows the identity of a person who has caused them a lot of trouble, is it really safer for that person to not have super powers to defend themselves with? She didn’t have the answer to that question worked out yet. She carried Kagami to safety and went back for the person she should have saved first.  
  
Ladybug ripped Nino off the web and he said, “Thanks for the save, Ladybug.” What a nice young dude. “Did my fellow captives make it out OK?”  
  
“They’re just fine.”  
  
“WATCH OUT!”  
  
Ladybug turned her head and saw that Arachnisaurus was swinging a bladed leg horizontally. Ladybug leaped off the Eifel Tower high enough to avoid the blade that cut into the metal as it paced under them. For a second, it felt like they would fall all the way down. But then Ladybug anchored the yoyo to the same leg she just avoided and swung towards nearby buildings. This time, Arachnisaurus chased after them. Ladybug constantly had to look back to see another blade she had to dodge. She swung as fast as she could, but it kept gaining on them. Arachnisaurus opened its enormous mouth and prepared to bit them both out of the air. That was when Ladybug and Nino entered the alley and Arachnisaurus crashed into the buildings on each side. Ladybug set Nino on the ground and let out a sigh of relief.  
  
Nino said, “If you need help from Carapace, I’m ready, willing, and able.” Now that’s how you ask about it.  
  
“Uh . . . all I need is for you to get to safety.”  
  
Nino said with a tip of the hat, “Can do.”  
  
As Nino ran off, Ladybug looked back at the sentimonster that kept roaring and bashing against the buildings, trying to reach her. She wondered how she was going to beat that thing. Her mind highlighted the Eifel Tower and a sly smile stretched across her face. Ladybug always had a knack for ideas so crazy they just might work.

  
Air Cannon picked up a car and blasted it in Cat Noir’s direction. He extended his staff, springing himself above the car. He got in close and hit her with both halves of his divided staff. She attacked back multiple times; usually Cat Noir was able to move out of the way, but, on occasion, she blasted him away. However, he was always quick to recover and run back to her. As Air Cannon cocked her fist, Cat Noir got an idea. For on instant, he wondered if it was physically possible, but he was too eager to try it to think too much about it. When her fist came his way, he grabbed her wrist. Her fist was kept from a collision, but Cat Noir was still hit with the blast of wind. Just as planned. When the wind carried him away, he held her wrist tight and brought her with him. They flew through the air, spinning as they went. And every time they lost altitude, Cat Noir hurled her down onto the concrete, leaving dents as they went until they lost momentum. Cat Noir got up with barely even a bit of dizziness, but Air Cannon felt like freshly crushed gravel. Cat Noir looked at a window and got yet another idea. He positioned himself between Air Cannon and the window and said, “Wow, you’ve got nothing on me.” He spread out his arms and said, “You know what; I’ll give one for free. Hit me with the best you can do!”  
  
An infuriated Air Cannon took him up on his offer. She pulled back both fist and blasted all the wind she could muster at him. Cat Noir hopped up, but not high and held his staff vertically just before the wind carried him through the window. His staff had extended so it would get caught on the bricks above and below the window. The staff bent as he moved further into the building and then the wind stopped. The staff sprang back into shape, firing Cat Noir like an arrow back at Air Cannon. Cat Noir kicked both legs into Air Cannon, knocking her backward and landed on top of her when she landed. Cat Noir grabbed her by the shirt collar with his left hand and punched her in the mouth with the other. She didn’t look unconscious yet, so he pulled her back in and hit her again; this time, in the side of her forehead. He was being careful not to brake the goggles without Ladybug around to purify the akuma. Just to make sure she wouldn’t get up, he pulled her in and punched her one last time. Still keeping his grip on her shirt collar, he pulled the goggles off her face and then he dropped his defeated opponent. It was then that he noticed that one glove was dark and thick while the other was lighter and skintight. He figured that the former was probably were the amuk was, so he took that too. He thought, “I just beet a super villain all by myself, but Ladybug will probably just lecture me about how I didn’t do right instead of giving me any kind of a thumbs up.”

  
Ladybug stood high on the front side of the Eifel Tower. She looked down at Arachnisaurus as it climbed towards her. Ladybug felt the metal shake every time one of the bladed legs plunged into the tower. Arachnisaurus was high enough to strike. That was when Ladybug swung around to the back, left pillar. Arachnisaurus raised a bladed leg as Ladybug watched and waited eagerly. She jumped at the exactly right moment and the blade cut deep into the pillar. Ladybug swung to the back, right pillar and Arachnisaurus struck that one the same way. Ladybug swung to the front of the tower and then she moved higher and higher until she stood at the very top. Arachnisaurus followed her, its patience exhausted. They came close at the top of the tower. She could feel its breath warm her entire body as it stared daggers at her. Ladybug leaped past the Arachnisaurus’s head and then she looked back. She threw her yoyo, wrapping the string around Arachnisaurus’s neck. Holding the end of the string in one hand and the yoyo in the other, Ladybug landed on Arachnisaurus’s back and she pulled. Arachnisaurus gasped and shrieked as the string dug into its neck. It uncontrollably leaned back and hang on the top of the Eifel Tower; which was very ill advised since it just damaged the two back pillars. Arachnisaurus kept moving backwards, pulling hard on the top part of the tower and the metal ripped. The top of the Eifel Tower detached and fell with Arachnisaurus beneath it. Ladybug landed gracefully before Arachnisaurus crashed, creating a thunderous boom. And then, the top of the Eifel Tower stabbed into Arachnisaurus’s stomach. The shrieking could’ve terrified someone a mile away, but it was music to Ladybug’s ears.  
  
Cat Noir, who was apparently nearby said in a cold tone, “I have the objects.” The good mood that Ladybug was in ended as soon as she realized he was there. Cat Noir ripped both objects in half and Ladybug purified the akuma and amuk that sprang from them.  
  
Ladybug approached Cat Noir and said nervously, “Hey, can I talk to you?”  
  
Cat Noir asked, “Aren’t you forgetting something?”  
  
“Wha . . . OH! Right.” Ladybug threw the lucky charm and said, “Miraculous Ladybug,” as quietly as she ever had. Just like always, the damages were all undone; much to the relief of several hardware store employees and tourists. Ladybug tried again. “Can I talk to you?”  
  
“Sure.”  
  
“I wanted to say that I really appreciate you and I . . . am really lucky to have you with me.”  
  
That wasn’t half of what he needed to hear. Only because he felt obligated, he said, “Thanks,” and she could tell that he didn’t mean it.  
  
Ladybug hoped what she would say next might help. “I have good news.”  
  
“Yeah?”  
  
“I have an idea who Hawk Moth is.” Cat Noir’s eyes lit up. Ladybug smiled, thinking this was exactly what she needed. “I have reason to believe that Hawk Moth is Gabriel Agreste.”  
  
Cat Noir shut his eyes tight, took a deep breath through his nose, and said, “We already . . .”  
  
“I know. But I just realized why his alibi doesn’t hold up.”  
  
“Ladybug, listen; Gabriel Agreste can’t possibly be Hawk Moth. He’s a legitimate business man and the father of fine young man.”  
  
Ladybug said, “I know, but there can still be something he wants that only the miraculouses can give him.”  
  
Cat Noir only had to think for a second to figure out what that something could be. “Mother?” He hit the bullseye, but he couldn’t accept it. He shook his head, showing Ladybug that he was unconvinced.  
  
Ladybug continued, “Wouldn’t it make sense? Gabriel Agreste been cooped up in his house, rarely making appearances anywhere for years. This could be what he’s been doing with all his time.”  
  
Cat Noir was worried. It did make sense. But that day of all days, he wasn’t going to side with Ladybug over his father. He shook his head again and Ladybug asked, “Why are you so convinced? It’s not like you know him that well. Cat, just trust me.” Ladybug gasped. Her heart skipped a beat. She almost slapped a hand over her mouth after saying that of all things on that of all days.  
  
“Trust you?” Cat Noir walked towards her with rage all over his face. She was actually surprised that he didn’t physically attack her. “Trust you? Ever since I’ve met you, I’ve been kept in the dark in every way you could find. So if I don’t get to know your name . . . than you don’t get to tell me to trust you!”  
  
He left as quickly as his staff would take him. Ladybug was crushed. She stood there, worrying that this might be the end of a partnership. She stood there until she left just to make sure no one would see their heroine in tears.

  
Cat Noir landed in his room through the window. “Plagg, claws in.” He transformed back into Adrien and his kwami flew out of his ring.  
  
Plagg crossed his arms and said, “You were pretty harsh, don’t you think?”  
  
“Yep,” Adrien said tiredly.  
  
“Did you really mean all that stuff you said about Ladybug?”  
  
“Yep.”  
  
Plagg said, “Adrien, you’re acting super out of character. You actually made me the nice guy here.”  
  
“Yep.”  
  
“And don’t blame Ladybug for the mood you’re in.”  
  
Adrien insisted, “She’s is the reason I’m in this mood.”  
  
“She might have set you off today, but you know what has really been making you so upset lately.”  
  
“PLAGG! I . . . I need to be alone for a minute!”  
  
“Hey! Don’t you dare take off that . . .”  
  
Flash.  
  
With the ring set on his desk, Adrien sat on his coach and he thought a lot about Ladybug.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Author's note: I'll try to be good about taking constructive criticism regarding the action in this. I know that action can be hard to do well and I've noticed that most fanfiction writers don't even try; they just spit the fight sences or avoid combat all together Thank you for reading and I hope you come back for more of my work.


	3. Chapter 3

Marinette sat on her bed and said with a miserable voice, “I don’t know what I’m going to do, Tikki.”  
  
“Don’t worry. I’m sure he didn’t mean what he said.”  
  
“Yes, he did. You heard him; he was talking about laying awake at night and dozens of examples of me doing him wrong. This isn’t just some bad day that we just have to wait out. And when I asked him if he was going to leave Ladybug, I thought I was being paranoid, but he said he had to think about it! There’s actually a chance that I might lose him!”  
  
Tikki said, “Cat Noir isn’t going anywhere. All you have to do is show him that you trust him.”  
  
“But I don’t know how to prove him wrong about me. I don’t even know if he is wrong anymore. He won’t be satisfied until he knows who I am”  
  
“Marinette, you know the rules. You two have to keep your identities a secret; even from each other.”  
  
Marinette fell onto her back and wailed, “I KNOW! THAT’S WHAT MAKES THIS SO HARD!”  
  
Tikki knew that the easiest solution would be for Marinette to tell Cat Noir her secret and she definitely didn’t want that to happen. She thought hard and said, “Maybe if you could prove that Gabriel Agreste is Hawk Moth that would make it up to him?”  
  
Marinette replied, “That won’t work. Right know, he won’t listen to what I say about Gabriel. I have to patch things up with Cat Noir, then we can find proof together.”  
  
Tikki told her, “Maybe what you need is some time to relax. Call Luka and the other; see if they want to hang out.”  
  
Marinette sighed before replying, “I don’t know if I should distract myself, but I might explode if I don’t. Alright, I’ll call them”

  
In the Agreste Mansion, Adrien was still sitting on his couch, thinking when he was surprised by his ringing phone. Adrien wasn’t sure if he was annoyed to be bothered in a mood like this or grateful to have a distraction at a time like this. Still, he picked up the phone. He took one look at the caller ID and knew he was grateful and not annoyed. “Hello, Marinette,” he said warmly.  
  
“Hi, Adrien. I was wondering if you and Kagami wanted to join me and Luka at my house and play a few board games.”  
  
Adrien sounded like he was tired and his exhaustion was slowly fading away when he said, “That sounds like just what the doctor ordered.”  
  
“Really? Are you having a bad day?”  
  
“Not anymore. Are Nino and Alya coming?”  
  
“I asked, but Nino was busy and Alya wanted to spend time with her family; especially Nora.”  
  
“Hah, that makes sense. I’ll be there.”  
  
Marinette said, “Great! I’ll call Kagami next. See you later, Adrien.”  
  
“Bye, Marinette.” Adrien hung up and was annoyed to know what he had to do before he left. He walk over to his desk and starred at the ring, not wanting to put it on. But he had to, just in case.  
  
As soon as Plagg appeared, his arms were crossed. “Don’t think that you’ve gotten out of talking about Ladybug.”  
  
“Look. I know you don’t agree with what I said, but can you honestly tell me why anything I said about the way she treats me is inaccurate?”  
  
“She . . . Well . . . listen, her keeping her secret from you is just the way it needs to be.”  
  
Adrien asked, “Why?”  
  
Plagg was about to give him a reason, but then he remembered how Adrien was able to deflect every reason thrown at him. So he just said, “I don’t know. That’s just the way it’s always been.  
  
Adrien said, “Great. You tell me it’s for the best, but you can’t tell me why. You’re starting to sound like Father.”  
  
Plagg instantly felt horrible. Adrien eventually said, “If this conversation is over, I’d like to get going.”  
  
Plagg nodded, taking the easy way out of the moment and said weakly, “Alright.”

  
When Adrien arrived at her house, he was lead up the stairs to Marinette’s room. There, he found Luka and Kagami, but something was clearly missing. Adrien asked, “Hey, what happened to all the pictures of me?”  
  
Marinette’s pupils nearly shrank into oblivion. She thought she would die of embarrassment if Kagami didn’t kill her first. Adrien explained to Luka and Kagami, “Marinette is quite the fashion fan.”  
  
Luka and Kagami knew the real reason why the pictures used to be there as well as why the pictures were gone. It would make things so much worse if Adrien found out too.  
  
Adrien said, “At least she was last I checked. Marinette, are you not still a fashion fan?”  
  
Marinette said in a panic, “No, I still love fashion.” Her heart did a backflip when she realized that Luka and Kagami, who knew what was really going on, were mentally substituting the word “fashion” with the word “Adrien”. She continued, “I mean I don’t love fashion!”  
  
“You don’t”  
  
“Yes. NO! I mean . . . I don’t love fashion the way I used to!”  
  
Adrien said with a heavy heart, “That’s so hard to hear, Marinette. You’ve always had such talent for fashion design. Are you giving up on your dreams?”  
  
“NO! YES! That’s not what I meant! I still want to be a fashion designer, but I’ve fallen for a different style of fashion?”  
  
Adrien said, “Oh. That’s . . . good.”  
  
First, they all played a game of Monopoly. They were in two teams, and Adrien and Kagami won. Adrien held a celebratory fist up in front of Kagami and said, “Pound it.”  
  
Just out of a feeling of obligation, Kagami did pound it, but she lacked joy and enthusiasm. Adrien didn’t want to, be he couldn’t help but think, “It’s not the same.”  
  
Luka told the others, “I brought boards and markers. We can ask a question about one of us and see if their boyfriend or girlfriend can guess the answer they wrought on the board.” Everyone other than Luka was nervous about the test, but no one wanted to say that. So everyone acted like they were excited about it.  
  
Everyone grabbed a board and a marker. Firstly, Luka asked, “Let’s see if we all know what animal is our significant other’s ideal pet.”  
  
Everyone wrote on the left side or the board their ideal pet and wrote their guess for the other person’s pet on the right side. Kagami still wasn’t excited about any of this, but she wanted display confidence, so she said, “I’ll go first.” She showed them her board and said, “I put ‘bird’ on each side, because I’m sure we will agree on this.”  
  
Adrien said uncomfortably, “Uh,” and rubbed the back his neck, unable to look her in the eyes.  
  
Marinette said, amused, “What? Everybody know Adrien is allergic to feathers.” Marinette’s previously amused face froze when she realized what she had just done.  
  
Kagami looked like she trying not to look embarrassed. What really stung wasn’t that she didn’t know that, it was that Marinette knew something she didn’t.” She quickly erased ‘bird’ from each side.  
  
Adrien showed them his board and said, “If it helps, I might have liked a bird, if I wasn’t allergic.” His board had ‘cat’ as his guess for her pet and his pet was of course ‘hamster’.  
  
Luka asked, “So, what did you put, Marinette?”  
  
Marinette was suddenly nervous. “You know what, I think I want to change my answer.”  
  
Luka said, “Oh no. That would be against the rules.” Luka gabbed the board from her while she incoherently tried to speak and he showed the others.  
  
Adrien said, “Marinette, your ideal pet is a hamster, too?”  
  
Marinette faked a laugh as beads of sweat ran down her face. “Ha ha. Yeah, what a funny coincidence.” Marinette thought that Luka would kill her if Kagami didn’t get to her first.  
  
Adrien, completely unaware of the effect their answers were having, asked, “What did you put, Luka?”  
  
Luka said almost aggressively, “What does it matter? We didn’t get them right.”  
  
After that, Adrien finally noticed that Luka was upset about something. He said in hopes of cheering him up, “I have a question I’m sure you two can get right.”  
  
Marinette thought “Thank goodness.”  
  
Adrien continued, “Let’s see if we can guess the other person’s favorite video game.” This question went even better. Well, for them it felt worse, but in the grand scheme of things, it was better.  
  
Kagami showed her board which had the name of a mobile game for casuals. Marinette had to stop herself from dropping her jaw at such a choice for a favorite video game.  
  
Adrien said, “Actually, I put . . .”  
  
Marinette thought quickly, “Don’t say Ultimate Mecha Strike lll. Don’t say Ultimate Mecha Strike lll. Don’t say Ultimate Mecha Strike lll.”  
  
“Ultimate Mecha Strike lll.”  
  
Marinette thought, “Not agaaaaaiiin.”  
  
Luka said confidently, “Well, I’m sure that Marinette and I got our guesses right. I put, ‘Marinette doesn’t play video games.’ Video games are too violent for her.”  
  
This time, Marinette couldn’t help but drop a jaw. That was just about the worst thing he could have written.  
  
Adrien snapped his fingers and said, “I remember now; you weren’t hear for the tournament.”  
  
Luka and Kagami both asked, “What tournament?”  
  
Much to Marinette’s chagrin, Adrien explained, “Marinette competed in an Ultimate Mecha Strike lll tournament. And I almost played on her team.”  
  
Luka asked tiredly, “Let me guess; that’s the game you wrote on your board?”  
  
Marinette squeaked, “Yep.”  
  
“Just like Adrien.”  
  
“Yep.” Marinette thought Kagami and Luka would kill her together if she didn’t jump out the window to make it stop first. Between her embarrassment, Kagami, Luka, and herself, she had no idea how she was still alive at this point.  
  
Kagami hadn’t had any luck up until this point, but she was eager to prove herself, so she said, “Let’s see if we want the same number of children.”  
  
Marinette said sporadically, “Can’t we do something easier like favorite instrument or flavor of ice cream?!”  
  
Luka said with just as much determination to prove himself, “No. Number of kids it is.”  
  
When they finished writing down their answers, Marinette and Luka showed their boards. Marinette wrote three and Luka wrote two. Marinette said, “That’s pretty close, right? I mean we’ll have plenty of time to talk about that slight difference, right?”  
  
Adrien asked, “Kagami, what did you write?”  
  
Kagami hesitated before she slowly turned her board around. Her answer was zero. Adrien spoke with that voice that makes you think there are violins playing sad music in the background. “But . . . But Kagami . . . zero isn’t enough.”  
  
Kagami explained, “I just thought since we both have such big career goals, that wouldn’t leave much time for child raising.”  
  
Adrien didn’t seem to recall telling her about any big career goals of his, but he said, “We can figure out how to do both. Lots of successful people make good parents.”  
  
Kagami debated in her mind whether or not to say what she was thinking. After a few seconds, she said, “Our parents didn’t figure out how to do both very well.”  
  
Adrien couldn’t look her in the eyes anymore. He looked down and said nothing. There was an uncomfortable silence that lasted for what felt like a long time. Eventually, Adrien said, “I think I need some air. Marinette, is it alright if I go up to the balcony for a while?”  
  
“Of course.”  
  
As Adrien started walking, Luka was about to tell him how to get there, but he apparently knew the way already. Kagami told Marinette and Luka, “I’m going to go. Thank you for inviting me over.”  
  
Marinette asked, “Don’t you want to talk with him when he gets back?”  
  
“Honestly, I would rather not.” And with that, she walked down the stairs and then out the front door.  
  
Marinette couldn’t stop thinking about Adrien. She knew it was going to make her look even more suspicious, but she told Luka, “I need to talk with him.” Her concern for Adrien overruled her other fears.  
Luka was nervous, but he couldn’t exactly tell her “no”. He merely nodded weakly. As Marinette walked towards the balcony door, Luka picked up Adrien’s answer that was never show to the other. Of course, it was “three”. Luka had a growing suspicion. So he decided to take a look around. What he found, under her bed, was a box. Having little to no respect for privacy at the moment, he opened the box and saw a picture of Adrien. He picked it up and underneath was another picture of Adrien. Underneath that was another, and another, and another along with larger posters of Adrien. She had taken them off the walls, but she never got rid of them.  
  
Marinette climbed up to balcony and found Adrien leaning in the guardrail. Marinette said, “I wanted to assure you that things normally go a bit better than that when I invite people to my house. But now that I think about it, visits to my house usually end with an akuma attack.”  
  
“Don’t worry, I’ll keep an eye out for akumas.”  
  
Marinette joined him and said, “Maybe it won’t come to that if we talk about it?”  
  
Adrien looked back to make sure the door was closed. Marinette knew what he was thinking and said, “Kagami left already. She won’t hear you.”  
  
Adrien nodded and said, “I’d like to tell you this is the first time I’ve had doubts. But the truth is . . . my relationship with Kagami has never really been what I’ve wanted.”  
  
“What do you mean?”  
  
“Before I started dating Kagami, I was in love with someone else. I’d rather not say who she was, if that’s alright.”  
  
It was not alright with Marinette, but she wasn’t going to push him. Adrien continued, “It didn’t take her long to become the girl of my dreams. I was convinced I would marry her after just one day. Now, I’ve been dating Kagami for five weeks and I still don’t feel that way about her. It’s like there’s . . . like there’s . . .”  
  
“There’s something missing.” Adrien was shocked that she knew exactly what it was like. Marinette continued, “It’s like you’re interested in half of who Kagami is; the half that’s easy to notice; the half you knew you wanted. But the other girl had this other half underneath; the half you never knew you needed.”  
  
Adrien said, “That is exactly what it’s like. And to make things worse, I don’t feel that way about the other girl anymore. She made me feel like reaching the stars was easy, like any pain I had inside was healed whenever I saw her, like I was complete for the first time. But no one makes me feel that anymore. She was my light. I had light. And I’m terrified that I’ll never get that back.”  
  
As a tear formed in Adrien’s eye, Marinette said, “Come here,” and she gave him a hug. This intimate moment was easy to misinterpret from a distance. That’s exactly what Luka did from the streets below.

  
Adrien left through the front door. He noticed who was standing just to the right and said, not knowing the gravity of the situation, “See you later, Luka.”  
“You will see me right now.”  
  
Adrien stopped and looked at Luka, perplexed by his tone. “What’s up?”  
  
“Tell me what’s going on between you and Marinette.”  
  
Adrien didn’t feel comfortable talking about the previous conversation. And he didn’t understand Luka’s suspicion. “Marinette was just talking with me about something I’m going through.”  
  
Adrien’s vagueness wasn’t helping him. Luka said, “I think there might have been more than just talking going on.”  
  
Adrien squinted, and said, hesitant to make assumptions, “What are you getting at, Luka?”  
  
“I getting at the fact that Marinette is cheating on me with you.”  
  
Adrien rolled his eyes. “Oh, please. I didn’t think you were that paranoid.”  
  
“Don’t play dumb with me! I’ve noticed how many times each of you sneak off and don’t give a straight answer about where you were when you get back.”  
  
Adrien thought, “Alright, fine. That is weird. But I sure Marinette was never lying about what she does.”  
  
Luka continued, “You heard all those answers in that game we played. You two seem pretty close.”  
  
“Look, Luka; she’s just a friend,” he said, not knowing that a fan dies every time he says those horrible words.  
  
“‘Friends’ don’t keep all those pictures of ‘friends’ on the wall.”  
  
“Sometimes they do. Not everyone keeps everything digital.”  
  
“Everyone knows that she had all of those pictures because she had a crush on you. And I know you must have noticed. Why else would she constantly stutter around you?”  
  
Adrien started saying, “Look, Marinette just . . . has . . . an . . .” Adrien’s voice slowed until it stopped completely. He thought, “Actually, that would explain the time she professed her love to me, thinking I was a wax sculpture. And the letter that matched her handwriting. And pretty much everything.” Adrien said out loud, “Oh. Your theory might not be that crazy.”  
  
Luka said, “Now, let’s talk about those answers the two gave.”  
  
Adrien was sick of Luka’s accusations and the day had put him in a bad mood. Adrien said furiously, “Luka, it’s not my fault that you two are all wrong for each other or that you don’t know each other very well! Seriously, Luka; how did you not know that your girlfriend plays video games!?”  
  
Adrien turned around and stared walking away. As he was walking around the corner, he was already regretting what he said. He stopped, sighed, and turned around, saying softly, “Luka, I shouldn’t have . . .” It was in that moment that Adrien saw a fist hurtling toward his face. Luka punched Adrien, sending him spinning back around. Adrien leaned on the wall, he opened his button up shirt and whispered to Plagg, “Find somewhere to hide.”  
  
After Plagg flew away, Adrien faced Luka with a hateful expression. Adrien said, “Normally I would try to fix things with kindness and understanding.” Adrien cracked his knuckles and growled, “But you picked the wrong day.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for reading and I hope you come back for more of my work.


	4. Chapter 4

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I’d like to take this opportunity to rant about why I hate Kagami and Luka so much. All my life, I’ve seen paring after paring that I wanted to become fully realized, only to be disappointed when they get together at the moment when it’s too late. Too many writers hide behind the false concept that it’s more entertaining to watch a couple before they get together and it just wouldn’t be any fun to watch their relationship progress. LIES! TRICKERY! There is so much fun, drama, comedy to be had with a couple after they’ve started dating. Take for example Bob and Helen Parr from The Incredibles. They get married near the beginning of the film, the idea of them breaking up is treated as a non-possibility, and they have more real drama then most movie couples. Take for example the sitcom couples of old; Lucy and Ricky Ricardo from I Love Lucy were funnier than most parings written today. Take for example Nino and Ayla from this same show. What real life relationship is without its ups and down, disagreements, struggles the likes of which would make excellent viewing material? Yet we are constantly handed this lie that dragging the crush faze out for decades is “more entertaining”. Let me tell you real reasons they tell you that; it’s either because they lack the talent to write a fully realized relationship or it’s because they are using a cheap method of dangling a carrot at the end of a stick, hoping the lack of resolution will trick their audience into watching more. So what do they do to keep this disgraceful agony prolonged? They introduce useless obstacles like Kagami and Luka, designed for the soul purpose of wasting the audience’s time. I’ve heard someone defend Adrien and Marinette dating Kagami and Luka with an argument that incorporates the fact that Marinette and Adrien are going to date each other in the end. . . . THAT! IS! THE PROBLEM!!!!! There are going to get together at the end! The END! No one wants to watch them get together at the END! I certainly don’t. I want to watch the episode where Adrien and Marinette go on their first date and Marinette freaks out every time anything goes even a little bit wrong, but I can’t because Kagami and Luka are in the way. I want to watch the episode where Adrien sits down for dinner with Marinette’s parents and he keeps putting his foot in his mouth, but I can’t because Kagami and Luka are in the way. I want a show that dives deep into the complexities that come with being in a relationship; one that prepares people for the real challenges that await them in their own lives. But I can’t have any of that. And do you know why I can’t have any of that? Because the two worst things about the show are in the way! I am insisting that Luka and Kagami being the worst things about this show is NOT debatable. Every time they’re on screen, I can’t feel anything but anger. Every time they have a romantic moment with Adrien or Marinette, I like the show a little bit less. I love this show, and yet these abominations almost got me to drop it twice. And what makes this even more infuriating is that the creators of Miraculous Ladybug know they are frustrating their audience and they keep doing it.
> 
> And you know what the scary thing is? The identity reveal is something that has made me excited for years. But as the years go by and my patience is stretched thin, I’ve found myself less and less invested. I’m afraid that by the time it does actually happen . . . I might not even care anymore.
> 
> Now I see you there, wondering why I care so much in the first place. I hear you thinking I should calm down; that it’s just a show; it’s just a few cartoon characters. But a show is art. And art is to be taken seriously. As for the characters; everyone has found a fictional character they can relate to; a character whose struggles parallel their own and whose victories give them hope. What kind of hope are we supposed to gain from a shtick that everyone is sick of?

“I picked the wrong day? You say that as if you haven’t been waiting for this.”

Adrien replied, “I haven’t; but maybe I should’ve; should’ve been waiting to tell Marinette how unstable you are after I beat the nail polish out of you.”

“You, stay away from Marinette!”

“Luka, if you think I’ll stay away from one of the best friends I’ve ever had because some stoned hipster sucks at dating, you’re twice as delusional as everyone thinks you are!”

Luka’s shook with rage. He charged forward and threw a right cross which Adrien deflected and followed up with a four hit combo. Luka stepped back quickly, then Adrien slowing walked forward. Luka didn’t actually think the model would fight back, but he wasn’t about to stop. Luka kept moving backwards, prompting Adrien to spread his arms to the sides and taunt, “Are you running already?”

“Just trying to get you away from my girlfriend!”

Adrien ran instead of walking and growled, “Don’t call her that!”

They ran across the streets and into the park. Luka stopped suddenly, turned around quickly, wrapped a hand around Adrien’s neck. He punched Adrien in the stomach while keeping his grip. The next time Luka tried to hit him, Adrien blocked the attack, but Luka head butted him and continued punching him again. Adrien pulled Luka in and struck his knee into Luka’s gut. Once Luka’s grip on Adrien’s neck was broken, Adrien pushed him away. Adrien caught his breath and ran after him. Luka ran, stopped near a bench, and waited for Adrien. Adrien raced towards him with a fist in the air. Luka stepped the side, letting Adrien rush passed him. When Adrien stopped and turned to face him, Luka grabbed his hair and plunged Adrien’s head toward the bench. Adrien put both hands on the bench and pushed just in time, saving his head from the hit. Adrien took one hand off the bench and elbowed Luka in the face, breaking his grip on his hair. Adrien swung at Luka multiple times, usually with great success. Luka backed into a tree and was caught between it and Adrien. Luka docked and Adrien’s incoming fist hit the tree. Adrien pulled back his hand, trying to shake off the pain. Luka, stayed lowered, grabbed Adrien by the shirt, and pulled his head into a collision with the tree. Adrien clutched his forehead and backed away. Taking advantage of his pain, Luka struck Adrien three times. He threw a fourth punch which Adrien grabbed and used to throw Luka over his shoulder. When Luka was on the ground, Adrien didn’t let go of his arm. Instead, Adrien started dragging him toward the carousel. Luka struggled and thrashed, but that just made it more satisfying. Adrien dragged him onto the carousel-floor and stomped on his stomach to keep him down for a moment. Adrien climbed on the airplane shaped seat and jumped off it with his elbow in a position to strike. Luka rolled out of the way and Adrien just hurt his arm when he landed. When they were both on their feet again, Luka jumped off the center part of the carousel and kicked Adrien in the face. Adrien stumbled away, but then he grabbed one of the bars, swung around, and kicked Luka with both legs. Luka slammed against the center part and said venomously, “Nice moves, poll dancer.”

Adrien grabbed Luka by the neck and threw him tumbling out of the carousel. As he rolled, Luka filled his hand with dirt and when he was on his way back up, he threw it at Adrien to blind him. Adrien spun around so that instead of blinding him, the dirt just dusted the back of his head. Adrien finished his spin with his fist swinging the whole time. He used the momentum to increase the damage done by a punch that dug into Luka face and knocked him off his feet.

Adrien was ready to finish the pathetic snake that dared challenge the lion. But then . . . “WHAT ARE YOU DOING?!”

Marinette was there. The pain in her soul could be viewed through her eyes. She was panting. Clearly, she had rushed over as soon as she saw them from her balcony. She thought miserably, “Just when I thought this day couldn’t get any worse!”

Adrien and Luka pointed at each other shouted their opinion on what happened. Marinette understood them say, “HE . . .” and the rest sounded unintelligible because there was too much shouting at the same time.

Marinette asked, “Luka, why would you attack Adrien?”

“Because I know that he . . .” Luka stopped. His mind caught on something very telling. Anger rose in his voice in his harsh, but not loud, voice as his said, “Did you just . . . Did you just automatically side with Adrien over me?”

Marinette’s heart skipped a beat. She didn’t even realize she had done it until he pointed it out. That was her first instinct; wasn’t it? Luka looked like he was about to explode. Marinette said, “Luka, calm down.”

Luka walked towards her, his finger pointed accusingly as he said, “You love him more than me!”

Adrien stepped quickly between him and Marinette. He said, “Don’t get any closer to her.”

Luka shouted, “So it’s true, then! You’ve been cheating on me with him!”

Marinette squeaked, “No!” in panic.

Adrien said, “No,” in annoyance.

Luka ranted, “All I ever hear is how shocked everyone is that you’re dating me instead of him! They tell me they thought you two were made for each other! But you dated me anyway. Do you know how much it hurts to know the person you’re dating would rather be with someone else? To be their second choice?”

As much as Adrien had learned to hate Luka, his words did give him something to think about.

Luka reached into his pocket and pulled out a knife.

Marinette screamed, “LUKA DON’T!”

Adrien’s jaw dropped for reasons that had nothing to do with fear. “Oh, really?” Adrien could hardly believe Luka’s audacity. “That’s how you want to do it?” Adrien pulled the button up shirt off his shoulders and let it off his arms, leaving only his black t-shirt.

Marinette cried, “Adrien run!”

“Don’t worry. I can take him.”

Marinette had one last resort before it was time for her secret weapon. “Luka, if you don’t put that knife away right now, we’re done!”

Adrien told her, “You should be done either way. He’s gone too far already.” Marinette knew he was right.

Luka ran for vengeance while Marinette ran for her secret weapon and Adrien stood his ground. Luka plunged the knife forward, Adrien slapped his hand to his side and hit Luka a few times afterward. Luka slashed multiple times, only managing to cut through the air as Adrien kept dodging. After a series of slashes, Luka had a breach in his defenses. Adrien tackled Luka, slammed him on the ground with their combined weight, and quickly rolled off of him. Luka slashed everywhere as he laid there. When he finally realized that Adrien was out of range by then, he started getting up. Halfway up, he started telling Adrien with a weakened voice, “You probably think you’re better than me.”

“I think must people are better than you.”

“You wouldn’t understand. You’re a spoiled rich kid born into a fancy carrier you didn’t earn. You wouldn’t understand what I’ve been through!”

Luka held the knife upside down and stabbed downward into Adrien’s trap. Adrien grabbed Luka’s wrist on its way down. He forced Luka to move the knife to his own throat. Luka wanted to back away, but Adrien grabbed his shirt with his other hand and held him in place. With the knife at Luka’s throat, Adrien stared menacingly into his eyes and said, “You wouldn’t survive what I’ve been through.”

Luka dropped the knife and caught it with the other hand. He swung the knife, cutting through Adrien’s shirt. He missed his skin by less than a quarter of an inch. Keeping his grip on Luka, Adrien pulled Luka’s head into collision with his knee. Luka clutched his head and fell onto both knees. Adrien took advantage of Luka’s lowered position by punching him over and over, not giving Luka an instant to try a counter attack. Blood flew as Adrien mercilessly beat Luka to his breaking point and beyond. When he was finished, he kicking him in the chest, sending him back to the dirt where he belonged. The knife flew out of his hand. It was too far to reach and he wasn’t about to walk over to it. He was beaten. Luka brought a knife to a fist fight and Adrien won anyway. That wasn’t just defeat; that was humiliation.

Suddenly, Ladybug dropped out of the sky, landed near them, and shouted, “Stop!” She was disappointed by her timing. She hopped to stop the fight, but it was already over.

Adrien pointed at Luka and shouted, “He . . .”

“I know. Marinette told me the whole thing. Just go home, Adrien. I’ll make sure everything is alright.”

Adrien took a moment to consider defying her suggestion. But he resisted the urge to stay. He told Ladybug, “Make sure this maniac doesn’t come near Marinette.”  
  
Ladybug didn’t think she needed his concern, but she still appreciated it. To assure him, she said, “I won’t let him do anything to Marinette. I promise.”

Adrien nodded his head and walked toward the exit, only stopping to pick up his button up shirt and put it back on.

Ladybug turned her attention toward Luka. He was devastated to see all that anger on the face of his hero. Ladybug shouted, “What were you thinking?! You tried to kill someone just because you were jealous!”

“I . . . I just couldn’t take knowing that . . .”

“‘Knowing’? Do you really have that little trust for . . .” Ladybug stopped talking and shut her eyes tight. She was captured by a wave of guilt, having recognized the hypocrisy. Ladybug took a deep breath through her nose and said, “Luka, when I spoke with Marinette, she said she could forgive the fact that you didn’t trust her, but the fact that you attacked Adrien is unacceptable. She never wants to see you again; even when you get out of juvie.”

“Juvie?! Wait! You don’t have any proof!”

“But I do!” Ladybug and Luka just then noticed that Alya was there with her phone recording the event. “What a story. Troubled youth tries to kill famous fashion model, Adrien Agreste over suspicion of disloyalty.

Ladybug asked, “Alya, have you been recording everything?”

“Everything.”

“Everything, everything?”

Alya nodded her head giddily and said, “Every everything, everything.”

Ladybug smiled and thought, “That’s my girl.” She looked at Luka with that same smile, but in his eyes, it was terrifying.

A police car came racing from around a corner and came to a screeching halt. Roger popped out of the vehicle and ran into the scene. “I’ve received reports of a hipster with weird nail polish attacking a fashion model!”

Ladybug explained, “That’s right, officer. Alya has a very interesting video to show you.

  
One video viewing later.  
  
Roger slammed the car door with Luka on the other side. Ladybug thanked Roger and swung away. She landed on the roof of her house and said, “Tikki, spots off.” After she transformed back, Marinette whisper, “Goodbye, Luka. You were . . . probably the biggest mistake I ever made.”  
  
There was a brief moment of silence. Brief because her phone vibrated.  
  
Marinette pulled out her phone and saw that she had two missed calls and three missed texts. They were all from Adrien. The first text read, “Marinette, are you okay? Ladybug showed up and took care of everything. I came to your house to check on you, but the door was locked.”  
  
The second text from Adrien read, “Marinette, where are you? You don’t have to hide. Everything’s alright.”  
  
The third text from Adrien read, “Marinette, why won’t you reply? Are you scared? I promise you that you don’t need to be afraid of me. I just want to know you’re okay.”  
  
Marinette was brought to tears. She leaned against a wall and slid down until she was sitting on the floor. She texted back, “I’m okay.” She had more to say, but she wanted that massage to get to him as soon as possible. This concern Adrien had for her was eye opening. He was the one all along. She had felt so much for him and she had thought it was gone. But it came back. The truth was that her love for him never died; it had simply gone missing.  
  
Her second text read, “Adrien, I’m not afraid of you.”  
  
She thought about sending a third text to ask if he was still in front of her house, but she had the better idea to go down stair and see.  
  
Marinette came to the first floor and saw Adrien on the other side of the window, reading her texts and breathing a sigh of relief. He was still there. By then it was dark and looked like it could rain soon, but that didn’t make him want to leave any sooner. Marinette dried her tears and ran to the door. She swung the door open and said, “Adrien, I’m sorry I left you hanging. Please, come in; I’m sure you want to sit down and relax after all that.”  
  
Adrien walked through the door, but he didn’t sit down. He asked, “Are you sure you’re okay?”  
  
“Am I okay? You were the one he was trying to kill! Are you hurt?” Marinette looked over him and freaked out when she saw the hole in his shirt. “Adrien, that cut!”  
  
“It’s alright; he missed.” Adrien lifted his shirt just a bit to show the lack of a mark on his skin. “See? Nothing.”  
  
“That was way too close, Adrien! What if he had stabbed you?! What if someone else comes at you with a knife and you accept that challenge, too?”  
  
Adrien put his hands on her shoulder and said, “You don’t need to worry about me, Marinette. I’ll be alright.”  
  
Marinette said while becoming increasingly choked up, “You say not to be worried about you, but you were pretty worried about me. You always cared about people. You were always . . . so . . . good.” Marinette uncontrollably started crying again. “I never should have dated him!”  
  
“Don’t feel bad, Marinette. You didn’t know . . .”  
  
“I did know it was wrong! I never should have giving up!”  
  
Adrien asked, “What do you mean?”  
  
Marinette stared into his eyes, summoning her courage. Finally, she was ready. “I should have told you how I feel about you.”  
  
  
Adrien would have been shocked if this wasn’t just confirmation of what he was already told. Adrien said, “So that part was true. Marinette, I . . .”  
  
“I know . . . you have a girlfriend. But she’s not the one for you. I can wait as long as it takes for you to break up. I know now that you and I are meant to be together.”  
  
He had to think. He thought about what Marinette meant to him, what Kagami meant to him, what Ladybug meant to him. All he came up with was, “Marinette . . . I . . . I don’t know what to say to you right now.”  
  
“You think I can’t handle the truth?”  
  
“I don’t know what the truth is.”  
  
Marinette said, “That’s alright. I didn’t expect it to be now, but one day we will be together; I’m convinced of that. I’m not going to give up this time. I can wait ten years as you date ten other girl if I have to. Unless you tell me you want me to stop, I’m not going to give up this time. I love you that much.”  
  
Adrien’s pulse shock his entire body. He said slowly and weakly, “I need to think about pretty much everything. And I think I need to do that alone.”  
  
Marinette said, “Okay.” She opened the door for him and said, “I’ll see you later.”  
  
Adrien walked outside, each step was lacking in energy. Then, they noticed that it had started raining. It wasn’t that heavy yet, but it was getting heavier. Marinette gasped and said, “Adrien, wait! Don’t go anywhere!” She ran upstairs, leaving Adrien to wonder what was going on. She returned as quickly as she had left with something in her hand. Marinette stood in front of Adrien and held out an umbrella.  
  
Adrien pointed to it and asked, “Is that . . .”  
  
“It’s the same one you gave me the day we first met. I’ve kept it this whole time, but now you need it more than I do.”  
  
Her face; those eyes were bloodshot from crying, but Adrien could still find the sparks in them. Her smile wasn’t big; it only stretched on one side and didn’t show her teeth, but it felt so sincere. Adrien reach out and accepted the umbrella. He opened it and held it above his head. Adrien said, “Thank you,” and he walked away.  
  
As soon as he was out of sight, Plagg flew out of his button up shirt. “That. Was. A lot.”  
  
Adrien said, “That was so much. Even when I heard that Marinette felt that way about me, I didn’t think she felt THAT way about me. She just told me she’s going to stay single for the rest of her life if I don’t date her. What am I supposed to do with that?”  
  
“You know; you could give her a chance. If nothing else, she’s right about you and Kagami. She’s had you in such a bad mood, you almost left Ladybug. How do feel about Marinette, anyway?”  
  
Adrien took the time to figure out how to put it into words. “She’s always been a good friend. I’ve always had respect and admiration for her. But I was always too in love with Ladybug.”  
  
“So why did you date Kagami and not her? I mean, if you could date Kagami despite Ladybug, why couldn’t you date Marinette despite Ladybug?”  
  
And then Adrien realized the answer to that question. “Kagami was the one to show interest. I always thought of Marinette as just a friend because that’s how she presented herself. But know that I think about it, I never even loved Kagami as much as I loved Marinette.”  
  
Plagg asked, “So what are you going to do?”  
  
“I’m going to do the right thing. I feel like I should do a lot of things; I just don’t what they are. But there is one thing I know I should do.”  
  
Adrien kept walking, careful not to let his weakened knees drop him. Rain poured the whole time. In the darkness and with his the sorrow, Paris had never felt this heavy with emotion. Places, objects he had seen many times before looked different. A sidewalk wasn’t just a sidewalk; it was a sidewalk on the night he would never forget. While he was walking, the night seemed like it would last forever. But when he reached his destination, it felt short lived.

  
Adrien took a deep breath, released it, and knocked on the door. Adrien waited patiently until it was opened by Kagami. “Adrien?”  
  
“Can we talk?”  
  
Kagami was confused, but she said, “Of course.”  
  
Adrien thought that Kagami was about to invite him in. Not wanting that to happen, he started talking quickly. “Kagami, you are a very capable and intelligent person.”  
  
His words weren’t surprising, but his sad tone was troubling. She said, “Thank you,” with uncertainty.  
  
Adrien continued, “And you deserve someone who will love you more than he’s loved anyone else in this world. I’ve been doing something terrible to you. I’ve been wasting your time when I wasn’t that person.”  
  
It was then that she understood what was going on. Kagami shook her head and said miserably, “Adrien, you are that person. No one has shown me as much love as you have.”  
  
“That’s just because you haven’t found the one who can love you the way I can’t.”  
  
“You’re just confused right now. That stupid game messed with your head. You will realize how silly are being when you had time to reflect. We love each other. That’s why you started dated me.”  
  
Adrien looked at her with shame in his eyes. He didn’t want to, but he knew he had to admit the truth. “I dated you because it was convenient.”  
  
Her chin quivered. Tears formed in her eyes.  
  
Adrien continued, “I settled for you because I thought I’d never be with the one I really loved. I can’t do that anymore. I can’t make you live your life as my second choice.”  
  
Kagami stared hatefully at him and said, “I wouldn’t ask you to.” And then she slammed the door.  
  
Adrien was hurting, but he found a small amount solace, knowing it was over. He turned away from the door, but stopped when he heard crying from the other side. Whatever solace he had was gone. He knew that staying would just make things worse, so he walked away.  
  
Plagg flew out of his shirt and asked, “Where are we going now?”  
  
“Home.”  
  
“Are you sure you want to be there? Your dad is going to pretty upset that you were out so late.”  
  
“Yeah, especially since I was just in a fist fight.” The way he said it was so matter-a-fact. He would have sounded more emotional about it, but he had bigger things to worry about.

  
Marinette had her pajamas on. She dance, not walked, toward her desk with a dazed smile on her face. She sat on her chair, put her elbow on the desk, resting her face on her hand, and said with low eyelid, “What a wonderful day.”  
  
Tikki looked at Marinette with her mouth agape, wanting to ask her, “ARE YOU A PSYCHOPATH?!”  
  
“Oh, Tikki, today I figured out who Hawk Moth is, ended a relationship that never should have started, and best of all, I finally told Adrien that I love him.”  
  
“It wasn’t all good. Remember, Cat Noir is still mad at you for not telling him your secret identity!”  
  
Marinette wasn’t bother in the slightest. She kept smiling and her eyelids didn’t open any wider. She said in the same dazzled, daydream-filled voice she had been using, “Yeah. I’m gonna tell him."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> What’s this?! A chapter of Miraculous Contempt that ends on a positive note? Truly, there is a first time for everything.
> 
> This fanfic was never meant to be a never ending pile of sadness and negativity. The first three chapters ended with possible team separation and hatred, but I always wanted there to be hope. Now before you go, I have a huge announcement to make.
> 
>   
> Beasts who had given up their humanity and objects animated by artificial souls were ready for a task most heinous. Their mistress stared at the castle with murder in her heart. It was she who would give us chaos and dare call it righteousness. It was she who would have the whole world stumble blindly through darkness. She had set a trap for the royals she despised. And she would have blood.
> 
>   
>   
> Disney Princesses: Extermination  
>   
>  Coming March 22nd  
>   
>  Don’t worry, Miraculous Contempt is not going on hiatus. There will still be a new chapter every Saturday until it’s finished and it’s not almost over. There will just also be a chapter of Disney Princesses: Extermination every Sunday. I’m going to be writing Disney Princesses: Extermination in a way that’s easy to keep up with, even if you haven’t seen all the movies. So if you are only a fan of some of them, you’ll still be able to follow along with it. In fact, I would ask you to try it, even if only because you like Miraculous Contempt.  
>   
>  Thank you for reading and I hope you come back for more of my work.


	5. Chapter 5

“Marinette, you can’t!”

“Yes, I can. I’m going to tell Cat Noir who I am.”

Tikki persisted, “It’s against the rules!”

Marinette added, “Which were put in place by the same idiots who put Mater Fu in a room alone and starved him until he destroyed the entire order. What was it that Master Fu said? Something about enchant traditions doing him no good.”

“It was also Master Fu who told you not to tell Cat Noir your identity.”

Marinette finally dropped her smile and said insistently, “Master Fu wasn’t without his mistakes. He destroyed the order and took our miraculouses because he was scared of a monster we needed our miraculouses to defeat. You want to know the real reason I did as Master Fu said and didn’t tell Cat Noir my secret. It was the same reason I went so long without telling Adrien how I felt. And the same reason I almost quit being Ladybug on my first day. It was because I was a coward.”

“If you do this, you’ll be . . .”

“Enough! Master Fu chose me to be the one to make these decisions! I am the guardian of the Miracle Box now, so I will make the rules! And rule number one is that Cat Noir and I trust each other.”

Tikki gave up. She dropped her arms in defeat, knowing she couldn’t stop her, knowing it wasn’t her place to defy her owner; much less the guardian. She decided that she might as well support her and help her do this correctly. Tikki said, “I’ll respect you decision. Just promise me you won’t start telling every single miraculous holder.”

Marinette considered Tikki’s council. She said, “For now, he’ll be the only one. You know this isn’t something I’d tell just anyone.”

“I’ll right.”

Marinette said, “Let’s get some rest. It’s been a long day and we have big things to do. After I share my secret with Cat Noir, we’ll figure out how to defeat Hawk Moth.”

  
It didn’t happen so quickly. Of course Gabriel Agreste wanted to press charges against Luka. The trial kept Gabriel busy and since, as has been established, he’s Hawk Moth, there weren’t any akama attacks during that time. And because there were no super villains to fight, there wasn’t anything to get Cat Noir to show up.  
  
Marinette testified at Luka’s trial, which nearly gave her a panic attack since she knew she was in close proximity to Hawk Moth, but she couldn’t show it. However, when compared to other cases, this one didn’t last very long. Alya’s video which had gone viral by then was damming. Luka never had a chance. The best Luka’s lawyer could come up with was just pointing out how Officer Roger didn’t properly bring Adrien, or really anyone in for questioning soon enough. Roger may have been a bit to single minded, but that wasn’t nearly enough to keep Luka out of juvy.

  
Adrien finally had a day that seemed normal. The trial was over and he was more excited to go to school than he had been in a long time. He walked into his classroom and was greeted with, “There he is!”  
  
Almost all of his classmates gathered around, excited to see him. Nino put his arm around the back of Adrien’s neck and said, “We’ve got the heavyweight champion of Paris right here!”  
  
Alex said, “Yeah, where did you learn to fight like that?”  
  
Adrien said, “Uh. Just a natural, I guess.”  
  
Alya said, “First you beat him in a fight, then you beat him in the court room. How long did he get put away for?”  
  
Juleka and Rose stayed sitting with the lowest spirits in the room. Juleka did her best to hold back her tears. She knew deep down that they were right to lock up her brother, but it still hurt. As Adrien answered Alya’s question, Rose robbed her hand on Juleka’s back to comfort her.  
  
Adrien told Alya, “I wanted to thank you for recording the whole thing. That footage won the trial for us.”  
  
“I should be thanking you. Nice to have a news story that’s different from yet another akuma attack. Especially since it’s been awhile since we had one,” Alya said with something that couldn’t be disappointment, could it?

  
When class was dismissed, most of the students exited the classroom. Adrien, however, had a task which he had to complete despite his nervousness. Adrien approached Marinette and, given what happened the last time they spoke alone, he chose his first words tactically. “My father wanted me to ask you if you wanted to come to a fashion show with us.”  
  
Marinette asked, “He did?”  
  
“Yes. He wanted to thank you for your testimony. I’m also inviting Alya.”  
  
Marinette was hesitant. She had figured out that Gabriel was Hawk Moth and being invited anywhere by him was unsettling. But if there was anything to worry about, then Alya and Adrien would be in the middle of it, so she would have to be there too. Marinette tried to look excited. “Sure. I’d love to come. Can’t wait to see you on the runway.”  
  
“Oh, I’m not a going to be on the runway this time. This fashion show is just for women’s wear, so I’m just going to be in the audience with you. And Father and Alya!”  
  
Marinette notice a blaring omission for that short list of names. “Wait, is Kagami not coming?”  
  
Adrien looked uncomfortable. He rubbed the back of his neck and said, “Actually . . .” and the rest of the words refused to come out of his mouth.  
  
Marinette could guess from his telling signs what might have happened. And the concept made her heart jump. Her wide open eyes stared at Adrien with shaking pupils as she whispered, “Actually, What?”  
  
“You know what, I’d better get going.”  
  
Marinette asked desperately, “Actually, what?!”  
  
“I’ll see you at fashion show! Thanks for coming!”  
  
Adrien raced down the stair, but by the time he got to bottom, Marinette was somehow already there, waiting for him. She growled insistently, “Actually, What?”  
  
Adrien sighed, accepting the fact that she was going to find out eventually. “Actually, Kagami and I broke up.”  
  
The galaxy revealed itself in Marinette’s mind! The stars shined brighter than ever, eliminating the truth! Hopelessness is an illusion and happiness is will never become unattainable! There are mountains and those mountains can be climbed! Life has endless valleys of magnificent paths to choose from! Her path of choosing was coming closer and would lead her to the dream she had longed for!  
  
All Adrien saw was Marinette screaming a continuous, high pitched scream with the most joyous face he’d ever seen.  
  
“Marinette! Marinette, calm down.”  
  
Marinette gasped her breath and said, “I’m never going to calm down again!!”  
  
“I didn’t break up with her so I could be with you.”  
  
“Still.”  
  
Adrien explained, “Marinette, that other girl I told you about; I shouldn’t have dated Kagami because I didn’t love her as much as I loved the other girl. And I can’t do the same to . . .”  
  
“If you don’t love me that much yet, give me time. I used to be too scared to talk to you. Now, I’ll try harder. If this girl is the reason you won’t date me, than tell me who she is and I’ll be better than her.”  
  
Her plea stroke a cord with him. He started to wonder if Marinette really could make him feel the way Ladybug did. Adrien couldn’t help himself from saying, “I’ll tell you when alone; really alone.” And then he walked out of the classroom.  
  
Marinette wondered if she was coming on too strong or if she was making him uncomfortable. But then, she realized something. He didn’t tell her to stop.

  
Two days after Adrien’s invitation, Marinette showed up to the fashion show. Hundreds of people sat around a white runway. Marinette was exited just to walk in. It was enough for her to go to any fashion show, but this room was far bigger and grander than the last one she had watched a fashion show in. An usher escorted her to a seat right next to Gabriel. Marinette expected him to have a front row seat, but their seats were the closest to a hallway that led to a set of bathrooms. Gabriel shook her hand while saying, “Ah, Ms. Dupain-Cheng. I’m pleased you could make it.”  
  
“Thank you, Mr. Agreste. Uh, where are Adrien and Alya?”  
  
“Unfortunately, the rest of our party is running late.”  
  
“You mean I’m going to be sitting with you alone?” she accidentally said out loud.  
  
“For the time being, at least. I hope that isn’t a problem for you?”  
  
“Uh, no! It’s an honor to sit next a fashion expert like you!”  
  
Marinette finally sat down and tried not to show her fear. Careful not to let Gabriel notice, she pulled out her phone and texted Alya, “The show is going to start in seven minutes. Where are you?” She sent the message and nearly jumped out of her seat when her phone made a noise that Gabriel could hear. Her mind was screaming, “WHY DIDN’T I SILENCE MY PHONE?!” Marinette said to Gabriel, “That must be my parents. I’d better check on that.  
  
Marinette open the text from Alya which said, “Adrien’s body guard was supposed to pick me up an hour ago. I’ve been standing outside this whole time.”  
  
“Don’t freak out!” Marinette thought as she began breathing heavily. “That’s pretty ominous, but it could just be that Gorilla forgot.” Marinette was unconvinced. “Okay, fine; it couldn’t be. I need to stay calm. Can’t let HIM know that I know something’s up.”  
  
“Ms. Dupain-Cheng.”  
  
Marinette squeaked, “Yes?”  
  
“I’m sure it must have been hard for you to see Luka attacking your friend.”  
  
Marinette let sadness wash away her fear. Not knowing if she was acting to avoid suspicion or just opening up to Gabriel, she said, “It was. For a minute anyway. I was definitely worried about Adrien’s safety. But when it was over and Luka was arrested, I just felt . . . free.”  
  
Gabriel said, “You must not have loved him very much.”  
  
“I didn’t.”  
  
“Then you were lucky. Losing someone you love is one of the hardest things that can happen to you. Let’s say, what if you did love him; what would you have done? Would you have lied in court? Tried to bring him back to you?”  
  
“I think . . . I think I would have done the right thing by telling the truth.”  
  
Gabriel looked at her coldly. He said with the same tone he’d been using, not letting his hostility into his voice, “Sometimes, the right thing to do is putting love before everything else; even the law.”  
  
Marinette was convinced more than ever that he was Hawk Moth. But somehow, she was less afraid in that moment. She replied, “If you really love someone, you shouldn’t expect them to break the law for you. And if they do, you should feel guilty about what you’ve turned them into.”  
  
Marinette and Gabriel looked into the other person’s hard eyes. Neither of them flinched. Neither of them said a word for a time that felt far longer than it actually was. It lasted until Gabriel spontaneously stood from his chair and said, “Excuse me for a moment. There is something I need to attend to.”  
  
Marinette had one guess what that something was. She had a feeling that she was in a trap. She had to think fast, but she couldn’t because her phone just had to ring at this of all times. She checked the caller ID. It was Adrien. “Hello?”  
  
“Hi, Marinette. I thought I’d never get anyone to pick up their phone. I tried Gorilla, Natalie, and Father, but no one answered.” Yet another red flag.  
  
“Oh, too bad. I guess you’ll never make it in time. Maybe you should just stay home.”  
  
Adrien said, “But there’s still time.”  
  
With each sentence, Marinette lost more control over the panic in her voice. “The show starts in just a few minutes.”  
  
“A few minutes? I was told that it wasn’t for another . . . Never mind. I’ll be there.”  
  
“NO! You’ll never make it!”  
  
“Trust me. I can be fast when I want to be.”  
  
“Adrien, listen; don’t come! I can’t explain it, but there’s something going on and it’s too . . .”  
  
“I’m back.”  
  
Marinette screamed at the sound of Gabriel’s voice. Gabriel sat next to Marinette and asked, “Did I miss anything.”  
  
Marinette looked at him with confusion. Adrien asked over the phone, “What’s going on?!”  
  
Marinette said over the phone, “I’m going to have to call you back.” She then hung up the phone and asked Gabriel, “So, what was it you needed to do?”  
  
“Oh, you know. Fashion things. Stuff you wouldn’t understand.” Gabriel didn’t sound right. His words and his delivery felt out of place coming from him and Marinette noticed immediately.  
  
Her head was spinning. She was sure that he left to send out an akuma, but how could he do that and get back so fa . . .  
  
Crash.  
  
Something big exploded into the building through a hole it created on its way in. The strange thing was, there was no loud noise. The monster that crashed its way into the room without making a sound was a giant snake. Half its scales were gold and half its scales were made of purple diamond. On its neck was a saddle and seated upon it was Silencer. Luka’s presence as Silencer came as a shock to Marinette. Why would Gabriel break him out of jail after Luka tried to kill his son.  
  
The crowd started screaming immediately. People wasted no time in jumping from their seats, but had trouble making it to the exit through all the traffic. Gabriel shouted, “Marinette, get to the exit! I’ll help with crowd control!” He said that too heroically to be believable coming from him. Marinette would have been glade that she was so close to the hallway, if it wasn’t Gabriel’s plan for her to be there; especially because he told her to run. She had no choice but to take advantage of the proximity, but her nerves were fried by the fact that she was doing exactly what Hawk Moth wanted. She just barely beat the stampeding crowd to the hallway and rammed her way through the bathroom door. She looked around franticly, making sure there wasn’t any cameras or deadly traps planted there by Hawk Moth. She was only forty percent sure it was safe, but that had to be enough. People needed her help. She said, “Tikki, spots on,” and as soon as she was transformed, she ran out the door and back into the hallway. There were still stampeding people, but as Ladybug, she could jump over them and run on the walls to go back where they were running from. She was relieved to see that the giant snake hadn’t been attacking people until she was frightened by the sight of Queen Bee holding Adrien hostage with a knife to his throat. Marinette thought, “WHAT?! How did she get the Bee Miraculous?! Last time I saw it, it was in my secret hiding place!”  
  
Queen Bee threatened, “Give us your miraculous or I’ll feed Adrien’s bloodless corpse to Silence.” Apparently, the snakes name was Silence. At the sound of its name, Silence turned invisible for only a second.  
  
Gabriel shouted, “Ladybug! Don’t let them hurt my son!”  
  
Ladybug was panicking so much, she actually considered giving up her miraculous. She thought, “Nothing makes any sense! Why is Gabriel still here!? Why would Gabriel akumatise Luka?! How did he akumatise someone so fast?! How did Adrien get here so fast?! How did they get the Bee Miraculous?! How did – waaaaait.” All of her questions had one answer and it made her furious. She growled venomously, “You.” Ladybug picked up a chair and threw it at Queen Bee and Adrien.  
  
Adrien shouted, “What are you doing?” and when the chair hit them, they evaporated into white mist.  
  
Silencer mouthed with his hand to say, “I hope you were very sure they were just illusions.”  
  
“As sure as I am that you are too. The real Luka is still in a juvenile detention center.” Ladybug looked around the room and screamed aggressively, “Volpina! Show yourself, you slimy sack of . . .” She had a few choice words she would’ve liked to use, but then she remembered that she was supposed to be a good role model. She shouted in frustration, “Slimy sack of used toilet paper! You roach infested gutter rat! You rusted dumpster fire!”  
  
“As much as I like the sound of ‘rusted dumpster fire’, I prefer that you call me Kitsune.” Using her voice to find her, Ladybug looked in Kitsune’s direction. Lila, once known as Volpina, had a new costume to go with her new name. She was dressed in white. She had white fox-ears and a white tail. She had a total of eight tail-shaped blades extending from her fists, elbows, heels, and knees. “I nearly gave you heart attack with that stunt, didn’t I? You were right, by the way; Luka is still in juvy; where you’ll never get to his amuk in time.”  
  
“Then I’ll just destroy this sentimonster.”  
  
“Still think you can pull this off, huh? Wait until you get to the BIG surprises.”  
  
CRACK! Ladybug felt a sharp pain in her head. As she flew to the side, she looked at who or what ever hit her. The shock was harder to handle than the pain. Hawk Moth was there in person. She scrambled to her feet, but standing was apparently too much to ask. She was struck down by yet another enemy. Mayura was there too. For a second, Ladybug laid on the floor and put her hand on her aching head.  
  
Hawk Moth said, “You fell perfectly into my trap, Marinette.”  
  
Ladybug couldn’t even move. Did she really hear that right? She played back what she heard in her mind, trying to convince herself that it wasn’t what it clearly was. But she couldn’t accept that reality so easily. “What did you say?”  
  
“I can see in your eyes that you heard exactly what I said, Marinette.”  
  
Her fears became real. This was the worst case scenario.  
  
Hawk Moth explained, “When I saw the identities of the other miraculous holders, I knew that most of them were student at Collège Françoise Dupont. Most of them, but not all. There was one wild card in the mix. Luka was the only exception to this rule. I wondered what the true common denominator between these individuals was. And then you two started dating and it became clear. They did all have something in common. It was you.”  
  
How ironic. For so long, she was afraid that Cat Noir might be a threat to her secret. In the end, he was the only miraculous holder who didn’t let her secret slip. Ladybug said, “I don’t know what you’re talking about!” Hawk Moth laughed at her denial. It sounded pathetic and desperate and she knew it. She knew her secret was out, but she felt like she didn’t have the option to admit it.  
  
When he was done laughing, Hawk Moth said, “Take her miraculous.”  
  
Ladybug tried to prepare herself, but nothing could have prepared her for this four against one fight. Kitsune sped around behind Ladybug. She seemed to be faster as Kitsune than she was as Volpina. She swung one of her blades at Ladybug. Ladybug dodged away from Kitsune which brought her right to Mayura who grabbed her and threw her into the air. Silence’s head hammered her back down. Hawk Moth struck down, trying to hit her, but only striking the floor after she rolled out of the way. As soon as she was on her feet, Kitsune came running and slashing. Ladybug blocked the attack, but was knocked off balance. Hawk Moth said, “Silence,” and punched her in the face.  
  
She looked around trying to see where Silence was, but not catching on to what was happening yet. Then, Silence became visible, his jaws closing in on each side of her. The only thing she could do was throw her yoyo into the rafters. Silence closed his mouth, trapping her inside. She pulled on the yoyo and ripped herself out. Ladybug sung around the room and ran along the walls, trying to avoid Silence’s persistent attacks. She was so focused on him, she didn’t notice Kitsune running up the wall to intercept. Kitsune slashed at her, cutting shallowly into her waist. After that, Kitsune jumped off the wall with Ladybug and body slammed her from that height.  
  
Hawk Moth ran towards her, but Ladybug was ready. She punched him . . . and he evaporated, revealing himself to be an illusion. Right behind the fake Hawk Moth was Mayura; the real Mayura and she struck with her fan. The real Hawk Moth came from behind Ladybug and hit her as well. She needed to get away from them and she was tired of taking a beating. She kicked Mayura with both legs. Ladybug had angled the kick just right to spring off of Mayura send herself sliding under Hawk Moth between his legs.  
  
She was out of arms reach of her enemies, but not out of danger. Kitsune ran at her and swung her blades. Ladybug dashed out of the way and wrapped her yoyo string around Kitsune’s legs as she passed by. Ladybug used the yoyo to swing Kitsune around in a four hundred and fifty degree spin which crashed her into Hawk Moth. Mayura came at Ladybug, and she was happy for her to be next. Mayura kicked forward. Ladybug grabbed her leg and twisted it, forcing Mayura to the ground. Ladybug lifted her fist and . . . An invisible tail hit Ladybug, ending her short rampage. The impact sent her crashing into a wall, where her enemies were quick to join her. Kitsune, Mayura, and Hawk Moth beat Ladybug against the wall relentlessly. She kept her guard up, not to prevent physical harm, but to keep her miraculous as safe as she could. The pain was excruciating, but she couldn’t let them take it.  
  
She punched at them wildly, trying to free herself. And then they backed off . . . only for Silence to ram into her. When Silence withdrew, Ladybug fell to her hands and knees. She was defeated. And Hawk Moth was approaching, ready to claim his prize.  
  
She needed a hero.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Author's Note: Before we go, I want to ask you to consider reading another up coming fanfiction I'm working on. The first chapter of Disney Princesses: Extermination will be posted March 22nd. It will be writen for teens and adults, but will still retain what we all love about Disney Princesses and YES there will be action in it, like Miraculous Contempt.
> 
> Thank you for reading and I hope you come back for more of my work.


	6. Version 2.0

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Author's Note: Important information. The original version of this chapter had something happen a bit too soon. I edited the chapter so that this certain something doesn't happen YET.

Adrien sat on the steps on the front of his house, having had no idea why Gorilla hadn’t shown up yet. He hang up his phone, having tried and failed to contact his father. “It’s not like I’m in a hurry anyway.”

Plagg asked, “Let me guess; you don’t want to be near Marinette right now?”

Plagg might not have been too far off, but Adrien didn’t like the way he said it. “I haven’t figured everything out yet.”

“You’re considering it, aren’t you? You might just date Marinette, huh?”

Adrien said, “Maybe a little bit.”

“Then I take it you haven’t warmed back up to Ladybug? You were pretty mad at her, but that was when Kagami had you in a bad place. I was wondering if anything had changed now that she’s gone.”

Adrien said, “Ladybug was wrong to keep her secret from me. She was wrong to do a lot of things. I used to think she was perfect, but that was just because I turned a blind eye to all her flaws. I’ll admit that I overreacted. She’s not a monster. She’s the heroin of Paris and I still respect her. But I don’t think I can go back to feeling the way I used to.”

Plagg asked with worry, “Is it really possible that you might quit the team?”

“I wish I could say that that’s her choice; that she can either give me the respect I’ve earned or I’m done. But the sad truth is that keeping Paris safe takes the both of us together. And I was never going to let someone else have all the fun of being Cat Noir.”

Plagg took the time to think a few things over; like what would make Adrien really happy. “Adrien, as much as I hate talking about stuff like this, you should give Marinette a chance. Maybe that only reason you think she doesn’t have what Ladybug does, is because you don’t know her well enough.”

Adrien pursed her lips in contemplation. He pulled out his phone and said, “At the very least, I should be in bit more of a hurry to talk with her.”

He dialed Marinette’s number, and when she answered, she said, “Hello?”

“Hi, Marinette. I thought I’d never get anyone to pick up their phone. I tried Gorilla, Natalie, and Father, but no one answered.”

Marinette took her time in responding. Eventually, she said with disappointment that felt fake, “Oh, too bad. I guess you’ll never make it in time. Maybe you should just stay home.”

Adrien said, “But there’s still time.”

Marinette started to sound panicked as she said, “The show starts in just a few minutes.”

“A few minutes?” This was news to Adrien. “I was told that it wasn’t for another . . . Never mind. I’ll be there.”

“NO! You’ll never make it!”

Adrien thought, “I can if I transform.” And he said out loud, “Trust me. I can be fast when I want to be.”

“Adrien, listen; don’t come! I can’t explain it, but there’s something going on and it’s too . . .” And then she screamed.

“Marinette?! What’s going on?!”

“I’m going to have to call you back.”

“Wait, wait, wait! Marinette? . . . Marinette? . . . She hung up.”

Plagg asked as if the answer wasn’t obvious, “We are going over there, right?”

“Of course we are.” Adrien got somewhere safe and said, “Plagg, claws out!”

  
Cat Noir rushed over as quickly as he could and found that there certainly was something going on; there was a giant hole in the wall going on. It was through this hole he made his entrance. He saw a team of four villains. Silence, Kitsune, Mayura, and Hawk Moth were about to take the miraculous from Ladybug’s battered body. His mind was exploding, trying to gain a grasp on this concept that was too bad to be true. But there was no time to process. He had to act fast.  
  
There was no way he was going to take them all himself. He leaped over Kitsune’s head and landed right next to Ladybug. Their surprise wasn’t going to last long, so he had to use it in that moment. He extended his staff and spun it around in a circle, smacking all villains except for Silence. Ladybug croaked, “Uhhh . . . Kitty?” Cat Noir picked Ladybug up and used his staff to spring away, just barely avoiding Silence’s jaws.  
  
Hawk Moth shouted, “They cannot be allowed to escape!”  
  
Cat Noir exited through the same hole in the wall. Even while carrying Ladybug, he was faster than any of the villains, except for Kitsune. She ran after him, running up walls and jumped from rooftop to rooftop. She gained on him quickly. Twice, she jumped at him and their weapons clashed in midair. She was ready to try a third time, but Hawk Moth started talking to her through their link. “Kitsune, stop. We need to stay together to ensure our victory.”  
  
“But this is our chance.”  
  
“When we all find Ladybug, she will still be weak. But Cat Noir has proven he can defeat villains single handedly. I can’t risk letting them divide and conquer.”  
  
Kitsune begrudgingly stopped and said, “Fine.”

Cat Noir landed on the roof of Françoise Dupont. Cat Noir put Ladybug down and said, “We can rest here until you feel up to another round.”  
  
Ladybug said, “Good. I’ve been needing to talk with you.”  
  
“If you want to tell why you can’t tell me your . . .”  
  
“NO! I wanted to tell you you’re right.”  
  
Cat Noir couldn’t believe his ears. What he heard then felt like the exact opposite of everything he had always heard before. He said almost breathlessly, “What?”  
  
“You were right. About everything. I didn’t trust you like I should have. I’ve never treated you like an equal. I had no good reason not to tell you my secret. I’m sorry. I’m so sorry.”  
  
Her words struck him. Was this a dream come true or a fantasy to good to be reality?  
  
“Kitty . . . I’m ready to show you who I am.”  
  
This was once what he wanted more than anything. But he couldn’t bring himself to want her to do it because she felt pressured. “Muh Lady, is this really what you want?”  
  
Ladybug’s face brightened up a little. She said, “It’s been a while since you called me that. Yes, this is what I want. I would also like to know who you are.”  
  
“I wouldn’t have it any other way.”  
  
Ladybug took a deep breath and released it. “Tikki . . .”  
  
“Plagg . . .”  
  
“spots off.”  
  
“claws in.”  
  
Light washed over them and it finally happened.  
  
They stood speechless, each thinking the same thing. “It couldn’t have been a better person.”  
  
Adrien’s breath was ripped out of his chest.  
  
Marinette felt so weak she thought her legs would collapse.  
  
Adrien felt the impulse to kiss her, but he had to ask himself, does this really change everything? Sure, she just showed him a lot more trust than she ever had before, but she still had a history of not explaining her plans to him, being dismissive, and not being willing to do for him what he did for her. It was too soon to jump into it. He didn’t know how much she’d really changed. Still, knowing she was Marinette was alluring. But he resisted for fear of being hurt again.  
  
It didn’t take Marinette long to connect a few dots. She thought, “That girl he talked about. It’s me. He was in love with me. But what does he feel now? Did I blow it as Ladybug and now he won’t want me as Marinette?”  
  
The dead silence was broken when Plagg said, “Well, Tikki; we kept this from happening for as long as we could.”  
  
Tikki said, “I know it sounds weird after all these years of keeping secret identities, but we have to support them as they continue to be heroes despite them knowing the others’ secret.”  
  
“Why? Because this is the right thing to do?”  
  
“No, because they’re not going to stop no matter what we say.”  
  
Marinette said, “You just wait and see. Knowing each other’s identity is going to make us far more efficient. Besides; Hawk Moth already knows who I am, so it . . .”  
  
Adrien shouted, “WAIT, WHAT?!”  
  
Marinette shrank down and slowly turned her head in Adrien’s direction. “Oh. Did I forget to mention?”  
  
Plagg said, “That’s some interesting timing. Is this why you felt free to tell Cat Noir?”  
  
“Plagg!” Adrien hissed.  
  
Marinette said with understanding, “No, no. That was a valid question. But I swear I’ve been wanting to tell you who I was since the night you fought Luka.”  
  
Tikki said, “It’s true. She told me that night that she was going to tell you.”  
  
Adrien said warmly, “You don’t have to vouch her, Tikki. I trust her.” Those words set something off. He said them with a smile, but saying them brought a frown. He started shivering and panting as he eyes darted from left to right but stayed down.  
  
Marinette asked, “Adrien, what’s wrong?”  
  
Adrien looked at her and asked, “Marinette . . . why did you suspect that my father was Hawk Moth?”  
  
Marinette swallowed her hesitation, knowing now how much this was going to hurt. “I had suspected him before because he had the book about the miraculouses. We wrote him off because he was akumatized. Back then, I assumed he couldn’t detransform and keep an akuma. But on the day we fought Air Cannon, I detransformed and kept a lucky charm and it was a metal butterfly. I took it was a sign that Gabriel could still be Hawk Moth.”  
  
Adrien said desperately, “But he was at the fashion show today. He was with you when the villains arrived.”  
  
“That’s just it, Adrien. The fashion show was a trap he set for me. That’s why he had Gorilla leave you at your house.”  
  
It made sense. Adrien breathed, “No,” and placed a hand over his eyes. He paced back and forth, trying to bare the agony of the truth.  
  
Marinette gently grabbed his arm and said, “Looked at me.” He did as she asked and she continued, “I know it hurts. But it will be okay.”  
  
“Why would it ever be okay?”  
  
“Because you have me now. I wasn’t there for you when you were hurting before, but I’m here for you now. From this point forward, I will always be there for you. Whatever you need, all you have to do is ask. If you need to talk to someone, I’ll listen to every word. If you don’t want to be alone, I’ll come to you anytime of the day or night. If you need to be reminded how strong you are, I’ll tell you all about how you’re the strongest person I know.”  
  
Adrien still felt horrible, but he was doing slightly better thanks to her. That was all he could ask for at that point. He wrapped his arms around her and cried on her shoulder.

  
Marinette had held him and let him cry for as long as it took. Eventually, he let go of her and said, “We need to find them.”  
  
“You think you’re up to this? Because I’m not. It’s bad enough that we’re outnumbered and one of the people outnumbering us is Hawk Moth. You remember how badly he pulverized us on the Eifel Tower without even using his weapon.”  
  
“Just like always, all we need is a crazy enough plan.”  
  
Marinette smiled and said, “Alright. Time to get creative.”

  
Ladybug cut a hole in a disco ball and Cat Noir poured some kind of liquid into it.

  
Cat Noir used his staff to elevate himself to a spot on a wall and cataclysmed it, creating several crack, but not bringing it down yet. He would have enough time to detransform and recharge.

  
Ladybug returned to Cat Noir with something in each hand. He asked her, “Do you have them?”  
  
Ladybug replied, “Yep. Hawk Moth might know my identity, but he hasn’t found my hiding place.” Ladybug showed him two boxes; each containing a miraculous.

  
Fireworks exploded over Françoise Dupont. Ladybug said to Cat Noir, “That should get their attention.”  
  
Soon after the fireworks died down, Silence slithered towards them with the three villains riding on his back. Silence climbed up the building to the roof where the villains jumped to different positions, surrounding Ladybug and Cat Noir. Hawk Moth asked, “You go out of your way to summon us? Your commitment robs you of common sense.”  
  
Hawk Moth, Mayura, and Kitsune ran towards them. Ladybug ducked and Cat Noir spun his extended staff in circles, halting Hawk Moth and Mayura who didn’t want to get struck with it. Kitsune on the other hand, slid under the spinning staff. At the end of her slide, she got back up and slashed at both of them. Ladybug block a slash and Cat Noir dashed to the side. Silence slithered near to Kitsune and guarded her. It hissed at them as a warning. Ladybug thought, “The real Silence doesn’t make any noise.” She ran at Kitsune while shouting, “It’s an illusion!” She charged through the smoke that used to be the fake Silence. Cat Noir jumped high into the air. When Silence uncloaked, it was clear that Cat Noir just barely avoided an attack from him. Ladybug tackled Kistune and they plummeted into the ceiling-less courtyard. Ladybug tried to land on her, but Kitsune slashed at Ladybug, forcing her to let go. They fell separately and both landed on their feet.  
  
Kitsune rushed towards Ladybug. She deflected Kitsune’s attack as she passed by. Kitsune turned around tried again. This time, when Ladybug tried deflecting the attack, it turned out to be an illusion and the real Kitsune was only a few steps behind her. Ladybug just barely managed to deflect the real Kitsune’s attack again. Kitsune kept running and appeared to slit into a dozen of herself; each one running in a deferent direction. Ladybug couldn’t tell which one was real. When they came at her, Ladybug had to pick her battles and hope she would pick the right one. Two illusion dissipated as they were struck and Ladybug was slashed by the real one. The ten remaining Kitsunes turned to run at her again and Ladybug couldn’t keep track of the real one. They rushed at her again with the same result. Ladybug focused hard. As the remaining Kitsunes ran at her, she struck them all until she hit the real one. The real Kitsune stopped in front of her and attacked repeatedly. Three or four times a second, Kitsune’s blades crashed with Ladybug’s yoyo. Ladybug strained to keep up, flinging her yoyo like nunchucks. Kitsune raised her leg, trying to stab Ladybug with the blade on her knee. Ladybug leaned back, moving her face a few inches away from the blade. She then grabbed Kitsune’s leg, spun her around, and threw her though the window to the classroom on a higher level. Using her yoyo, Ladybug swung into the classroom and said to Kitsune, “Ya see that?” Ladybug was pointing to a disco ball that was shined upon by a flashlight taped to the wall. Ladybug said, “With light from that disco ball, I’ll be able to tell what’s an illusion.  
  
Kitsune was spectacle of Ladybug’s logic. She said, “I have no idea if that’s going to work. But just in case.” Kitsune jumped up and cut the disco ball in have. But there was a surprise inside. Some kind of liquid gushed out and covered Kitsune. When she landed, she took a few sniffs and asked, “Is that . . . Adrien, the fragrance?”  
  
Ladybug said, “Hey! That’s some pricy perfume you just ruined along with my plan!”  
  
Kitsune asked, befuddled, “Why would you put perfume in the disco ball?”  
  
“I had to get makeshift, okay.”  
  
Kitsune starred at Ladybug, understanding absolutely nothing.  
  
Ladybug said tiredly, “Just fight me.”

  
Cat Noir moved fast, avoiding the attacks of Hawk Moth, Mayura, and Silence. They had never seen him move as quickly as he was then. They couldn’t seem to touch him. The only problem was that he wasn’t hitting them either. Hawk Moth said, “Silence,” and the giant snake turned invisible. Cat Noir had no idea when or where Silence would appear, to be safe, he jumped into the courtyard.  
  
After he landed, Cat noir looked around for Ladybug. He saw her on a walkway, fighting Kitsune. As the other villains pursued him, Cat Noir ran to an area behind a basketball hoop. Unlike the center, this area had a ceiling and plenty of concrete above it.  
  
Hawk Moth looked up while Mayura ran closer to Cat Noir. Hawk Moth noticed that the wall above the area Cat Noir ran to had several cracks in it. He said to Silence, “Cat Noir means to lead us into a trap. Bring it down on him instead.”  
  
Silence leaped into the air and crashed into the wall, starting a cave in above Cat Noir. Hawk Moth grabbed Mayura and fled the danger zone, leaving Cat Noir alone under the falling debris. Cat Noir looked up, and the hero that was so fast a moment ago was stunned. It all came crashing down upon him and Ladybug screamed, “KITTY!”  
  
Ladybug landed near the pile of rubble, fell on her knees, and said mournfully, “No. No, no, no. Cat Noir.”  
  
Mayura approached with a smug look on her face. Still on her knees, Ladybug turned to face her. Ladybug said as if she didn’t care anymore, “Just take them.”  
  
Mayura reached for her earrings, slowly, expecting a trap, but finding none. She grabbed the earrings, still finding no resistance and took them off Ladybug’s ears. Ladybug detransformed into Marinette while the look of defeat on her face remained the same. Mayura threw the earring to Hawk Moth who held them high with triumph and shouted, “IT’S MINE! I knew this day would come. I have the Ladybug Miraculous and soon, I shall have the Cat Miraculous as well!”  
  
Marinette, still near Mayura, put her face in her hands and said, “Before you use them, I just have one more thing to say.”  
  
Hawk Moth asked, “And what would that be?” And yet neither him, nor Mayura took their eyes off the miraculous.  
  
Marinette removed her hands from her face, revealing, not a tear ridden mess, but a devious smile.  
  
As established, Ladybug had gathered two more miraculouses before the villains arrived. Those miraculouses were the Fox Miraculous with the power of illusion and the Bee Miraculous with the power to paralyze. Another interesting thing about the Bee Miraculous; its weapon, the top, functions very similarly the Ladybug Miraculous’s yoyo.  
  
Marinette looked at the unsuspecting Mayura and said, “Venom."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Author's Note: What do you call a cliff hanger where the bad guys are the ones in danger?  
> If you were wondering where the changes I made to this chapter are, it was in the reveal scene.  
> Also, if your interested, don't forget to read my other fanfiction, Disney Princesses: Extermination. The first chapter is out now, and there will be a new chapter every Sunday.


	7. Chapter 7

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Important Information. The original version of Chapter 6 had some happen a bit too soon, so I decided to take it out of that chapter and put it elsewhere. You might get the sense that you've already read something in this chapter; that's because of the change. If you've already read the original version of Chapter 6, you might want to take a look at the reveal scene again. Though, you'll probably be able to just figure out what happened by reading this chapter.

Everything had seemed like it was going perfectly for the villains. Ladybug said she was going to use a disco ball, but Kitsune just sliced it in half; however it was strange that perfume poured out of it, covering her. A pile of rubble had fallen on “Cat Noir”. Ladybug had “detransformed” and Hawk Moth was holding the “Ladybug Miraculous”. Yet, Marinette spoke one word with such confidence.  
  
“Venom” Mayura recognized the relevance of that word; that’s what made it so confusing. She turned her head to Marinette, but she had no time to defend herself. Marinette hit Mayura with a bee-stinger that covered her hand, paralyzing her. Mayura couldn’t move, but Marinette could still see the terror in her eyes as she put her hand on her miraculous. Marinette shouted, “Gotcha!” and ripped the Peacock Miraculous off Mayura’s head. As Mayura detransformed, Hawk Moth shouted, “What?! No! Grab her!”  
  
Kitsune tried to grab her, but Marinette jumped high, as if she was still transformed and swung to a walkway with her yoyo. But was it actually a yoyo?  
  
Marinette said, “You know what I love must about you villains? You people fall for everything. You even fall for it multiple times.”  
  
Hawk Moth shouted, “This is impossible! Mayura took the Ladybug Miraculous off your ears!”  
  
“You still haven’t figured it out? I wasn’t even using the Ladybug Miraculous.” Marinette called out, “Okay, Kitty! You can drop the act now!”  
  
They all heard a voice from another room shout, “Reality!” and the illusion over Marinette dropped. She had been using the Bee Miraculous.  
  
Hawk Moth reexamined the earrings. “A fake!? AGAIN!?” Hawk Moth’s mind had to catch up with the truth. Marinette was able to get away with using the Bee Miraculous instead of the Ladybug Miraculous because the bee-top functions almost entirely like the ladybug-yoyo.  
  
The voice from the other room said, “Trix, let’s rest. . . . Plagg, claws out!” Only a second latter, Cat Noir, the real Cat Noir kicked a door open, joined Marinette, and said, “Tada!”  
  
Hawk Moth realized that this whole time, Cat Noir didn’t even try to touch them, and they couldn’t manage to touch him. The only thing that got crushed under that ruble was another of their illusions. Marinette took off the Bee Miraculous and replaced it with the Peacock Miraculous.  
  
Hawk Moth shouted to Silence, “Kill them, NOW!”  
  
“Duusu, spread my feathers.”  
  
Silence rushed towards them, AND THEN . . . “STOP!” Silence stopped right in front of the walkway’s banister. Control over the Peacock Miraculous came with control over the sentimonster. Silence knew she could make it disappear if she wanted. Marinette pointed at Kitsune, prompting Silence to look at her with hunger in his eyes. Kitsune wasn’t scared yet. She created the illusion of dozens upon dozens of herself to confuse Silence.  
  
Cat Noir said with satirically fake despair, “Muh Lady! However will Silence find the real Kitsune in this sea of illusion?!”  
  
Playing along with his game, Marinette said as if he didn’t know, “Elementary, my dear Kitty. All he has to do is use his keen sense of smell to find the one I cover in perfume.” And then Kitsune was scarred.  
  
Marinette said, “Sick her.”  
  
Kitsune screamed right before she started running and Silence chased after her.  
  
Hawk Moth was devastated. He thought he had it this time. He thought this was the day he would claim the miraculouses. He knew Ladybug’s identity, he had them outnumbered; four to two, he had a sentimonster who’s amuk was out of reach, but Ladybug and Cat Noir turned the whole day upside down. Even the fact that he knew Ladybug’s identity was just something she could use to make her act more convincing. Mayura was paralyzed, he lost the Peacock Miraculous, and Silence was on their side.  
  
Marinette put on a pair of earrings; the real Ladybug Miraculous and said, “Tikki, Dussu, unify.” Once she transformed, she was wearing a dark blue coat with red spots and black tights with dark blue spots. Her red skin was decorated with dark blue lipstick and eyeshadow. In one hand she held the fan and in the other, she held the yoyo.  
  
Hawk Moth said, “I will still have your miraculouses! You two couldn’t defeat me alone before and you won’t now.”  
  
Cat Noir said, “We don’t have to beat you alone. We just have to you busy until Silence is done chewing up Kitsune.”  
  
The two heroes jumped from the walkway and Cat Noir rushed towards him. Cat Noir and Hawk Moth clashed their weapons against each other multiple times. Hawk Moth raised his cane, preparing to strike downward. Cat Noir’s response felt incorrect at first. Instead of dodging to the side, Cat Noir ducked. It didn’t make sense until Ladybug’s yoyo came flying into Hawk Moth’s cane, ending his attempt at an attack and leaving him vulnerable to an uppercut from Cat Noir. Hawk Moth was staggered. Cat noir anchored his staff in the floor and raised his wrist so that Ladybug could wrap her yoyo around it. Cat Noir pulled on the yoyo string and, soon, Ladybug came zipping over Cat Noir before she kicked Hawk Moth in the chest. Hawk Moth slid backwards, but stayed on his feet. Ladybug swung her yoyo at Hawk Moth from a distance. Hawk Moth deflected each attack with his cane. Hawk Moth held his cane like a baseball bat and when the yoyo came once again, he hit it, sending it into Ladybug’s head. Cat Noir leaped towards him. Cat Noir attacked with his staff only for Hawk Moth to knock it to the side and head butt him. Hawk Moth knocked Cat Noir’s legs out from under him, and while Cat Noir spun in midair, Hawk Moth kicked him so hard he crashed into Ladybug.  
  
Hawk Moth fought well despite being on his own against two heroes. He brute forced his way through their defenses and withstood whatever onslaught they threw at him. All the while, Silence crashed around the school, trying to bite Kitsune.  
  
Ladybug figured this was the time for an extra edge on the battlefield, so she summoned a, “Lucky Charm!” What fell into her hands was, “A heart shaped love letter?” Ladybug opened it and tried to read it quickly so Cat Noir wouldn’t have to fight Hawk Moth alone for long. “In every day, in every way, you ring my heart like a bell. Anything you’d do for me, I’d do for you as well.” That was all that was written. It was hard to see how such a short and vague letter would be helpful. She put the letter away and planned to figure it out later.  
  
Ladybug attacked Hawk Moth from one side while Cat Noir attacked from the other. Hawk Moth tried fighting them both at once, but he couldn’t deflect everything. He decided to concentrate on attacking Cat Noir and baring whatever Ladybug hit him with. Hawk Moth beat Cat Noir viciously. Ladybug kept hitting him from behind, trying to stop him, but he endured and continued beating Cat Noir. Hawk Moth pulled back his left fist preparing to strike Cat Noir again. Ladybug grabbed Hawk Moth’s forearm, put her foot against the other put of his arm, and used all her strength, resulting in a crunchy sounding snap. Hawk Moth shouted with agony until he contained his noises in grunts and growls that slipped between his teeth. Hawk Moth smacked Cat Noir away and began punishing Ladybug. He beat her with the cane he swung with insanity and desperation while shouting, “I! WILL! NOT! BE! DENIED! YOUR! MIRACULOUS!” He smacked her away as well and ran to one of the bars that held up the walkways. He ripped a piece of it off, crafting a makeshift spear. He turned his sights on Cat Noir who was only halfway to his feet and prepared to throw it into his head.  
  
Then, Ladybug figured it out. The love letter’s words rang in her mind with more clarity; “Anything you’d do for me, I’d do for you as well.” Cat Noir had shielded her from dangers, time and time again. She knew what she had to do.  
  
Hawk Moth threw the makeshift spear at Cat Noir’s head, but it stabbed into Ladybug’s stomach instead. Cat Noir stared at her with unbelieving eyes. He shouted, “LADYBUG!”  
  
Ladybug turned to face Cat Noir and said, “You can take him.” And then she collapsed, weak but still awake.  
  
Cat Noir’s heartbeat was a storm of thunder. She really did want to treat him better. She had annihilated all his reasons to be angry at her and he was reminded of his reasons for loving her. She was strong, smart, caring, steadfast in her commitment to the greater good. All the love he thought was gone forever came back. The truth was that his love never died; it had simply gone missing. This onslaught of emotion included shame. He thought, “Of course she’s the love of my life. How could I have doubted that?”  
  
Silence bit Kitsune’s head and flung her into the air. Kitsune screamed all the way down into Silence’s throat. A second later, Silence coughed out Lila and the akuma separately. Despite the spear in her stomach, Ladybug flung her yoyo from the floor and purified the akuma.  
  
Cat Noir could do this. With Kitsune gone, Silence was there to help him, and Hawk Moth’s arm was already broken.  
  
Cat Noir stood and gazed at his enemy with determination in his eyes. He said, “Silence,” and at the sound of its name, the giant snake turned invisible. Cat Noir ran at Hawk Moth and swung from the left with his staff. After Hawk Moth blocked, Cat noir punched Hawk Moth’s already broken arm, agonizing him. Cat Noir hit him with his staff a couple times before jumping out of the way of the way and then Silence rammed into Hawk Moth.  
  
Cat Noir ran at him again. Hawk Moth threw his cane toward him which just zipped past his head. Hawk Moth reached out his hand as Cat Noir kept running. He was summoning the cane to fly back to him, causing it to strike Cat Noir in the back of the head. By the time he was within arm’s length of Hawk Moth, he was staggered and his head was lowered. Hawk Moth uppercut Cat Noir sending him just above Hawk Moth’s height. Hawk Moth grabbed Cat Noir’s leg and slammed him down. Silence was approaching, but Hawk Moth saw him coming this time. He picked up Cat Noir and held him in Silence’s path while he stepped to the side, making Silence ram into him instead. Silence raised his tail and swung it down, but Hawk Moth dodged that too. Hawk Moth jumped onto Silence’s tail and ran all the way to his head where he jammed his cane deep into Silence’s eye. Silence started disintegrating, but he also started thrashing his head about. Hawk Moth was flung into the air. From a higher altitude, Hawk Moth watched Silence die. He was half way down, when all of a sudden, Cat Noir came flying towards him. Cat Noir grabbed Hawk Moth by the gut with his right hand. He shouted, “CATACLYSM!” And Hawk Moth felt the combined force of the cataclysm and the hard landing. The floor beneath them looked shattered. The earth was shaken as a glorious shockwave spread in all directions.  
  
Do you know the difference between finishing a video game and completing it?  
  
Cat Noir rose above Hawk Moth, satisfied with his victory. Hawk Moth groaned, refusing to accept the fact that he lost. Ladybug threw the love letter into the air and said, “Miraculous Ladybug.” All the damage done to the school, the fashion show’s building, and the heroes was erased. Ladybug stood up, feeling much better.  
  
Finishing a video game is when you get to the end of the story, beat the final boss if there is one, and make the credits roll. But completing a video game means passing all the challenges, beating all the secret bosses, accomplishing all the side missions, and leaving nothing undone.  
  
Cat Noir reach down and grabbed the Butterfly Miraculous. Hawk Moth jolted and grabbed Cat Noir’s wrist, not letting him take it. He squeezed Cat Noir’s wrist until he let go. Then, Hawk Moth shoved Cat Noir aside. He had no hope of beating Cat Noir in his current state, but he had one last card up his sleeve.  
  
Sure, the story could end here with our villain defeated and our heroes in love. It would be finished. But it wouldn’t be complete. There’s so much more to do. Will you come and complete this story with me?  
  
Hawk Moth quickly pulled a detonator out of his coat and pressed the button.  
  
BOOM! An explosion erupted from one of the class rooms. They all felt and heard another explosion erupt from somewhere below.  
  
Cat Noir thought, “He rigged the school with explosives? Where they there this wholly time?”  
  
Using the explosions as a distraction, Hawk Moth ran to Natalie, grabbed her and jumped away. Ladybug shouted to Cat Noir, “We’ve got to get out of here!” Ladybug didn’t want to, but she picked up Lila first and they made their exit as more explosions stormed around them. They got to a safe distance and Ladybug put Lila down. They got to another building’s roof and watched as their school burned and crumbled. They agreed that chancing Hawk Moth could wait until Tikki and Plagg recharged. They were sure that they knew where he was going.  
  
They both detransformed and Adrien said, “I can’t believe he did that.”  
  
Marinette said, “Don’t worry. When we defeat him, we can use another Miraculous Ladybug to fix the school.” He knew that already. She was missing the point.  
  
Adrien said, “I can’t believe my father did that. When did he set that up? Was it as soon as I enrolled?”  
  
Marinette said, “He probably did it after he figured out I was Ladybug.” She wasn’t trying to defend Gabriel. She was just stating what seemed logical.  
  
“Still. That monster planted bombs in a school. And he did it knowing his own son attended it.”  
  
Marinette had no idea what to say that could make the situation better. She had told him before that she would be there for him through his pain and this was a moment in which she had to prove it. She didn’t know how to make him feel better about what his father was doing, but she had something that might just make him feel better. Marinette put a hand on his shoulder and said, “Adrien, I’m so proud of you.”  
  
Adrien turned his head toward her, wanting desperately for her to keep talking.  
  
Marinette explained, “I can’t imagine how hard it was for you to fight him. You didn’t let the fact that he’s your father keep you from doing the right thing. If I found out my dad was Hawk Moth, I would barely be able to stand, much less take him down the way you just did.”  
  
Adrien told her, “It’s been way too long since anyone’s told me they were proud of me. Yes, it was hard, but you keep making this easier. Thank you.” Adrien took a moment to gather himself before saying, “Marinette, when Hawk Moth threw that sharp rod at me, you stepped in front of me and took it so I wouldn’t have to.”  
  
Marinette said, “It was the least I could do. You’ve done the same for me so many times.”  
  
“That’s why it meant so much to me. When I was angry with you, I thought our relationship was one sided.”  
  
Marinette’s face turned sad and she said, “Adrien, it was one sided. You don’t have to say that’s just what you ‘thought’.”  
  
“But now, I know it isn’t. When you told me you were sorry, I wanted so badly to believe you, but I couldn’t help but have a small sliver of doubt in the back of my mind. I wasn’t sure if I was setting myself up to be hurt again. Actions speak louder than words. Once I saw you stand there, bleeding and hurting to keep me safe, I knew you meant what you said. I don’t have doubts about us anymore.”  
  
Marinette was in a combination of excitement and nervousness. She said, “Adrien?” She was trying to ask if this meant what she was hoping for.  
  
They looked deep into each other’s eyes. Adrien knew. This was the girl. The girl who fought by his side, saved his life many times, inspired him be a better hero was also the girl who beat him at video games, was adorably frantic whenever she couldn’t shut up, inspired him to be a better person. This was the girl.  
  
Marinette knew. This was the boy. The boy who always complemented everything she did, was so smooth he made her slip on any surface, could be best described as a prince, was also the boy who constantly tried to impress her, would follow her anywhere, treated her like a princess. This was the boy.  
  
Adrien said, “I thought it was gone. I thought I’d never love anyone the way I loved you before. But now . . . knowing that you’re the girl of my dreams and my best friend . . .” Adrien brushed the back of his fingers against her cheek. “I love you now more than ever.”  
  
Marinette whispered with tears in her eyes, “Kiss me.”  
  
The fingers Adrien held on her cheeks slid further back and dug into her hair. His other arm wrapped around her waist and he looked her in the eyes just a little longer before going in. Marinette melted when their lips touched and pressed together. At first, she didn’t do anything with her hands. She was too busy trying to believe what was happening to her. This was better than her fantasies. She was kissing him with her combined love for Adrien and Cat Noir. It became easier to believe the more Adrien twisted his lips against hers. She slid her hands up his chest and grabbed his shirt collar so she could pull him deeper into their kiss.  
  
When it was over, Adrien and Marinette locked eyes as soon as they were open. Adrien said dreamily, “I should have known it was you.”  
  
Suddenly Adrien’s phone started ringing. They both had one guess who it could be.  
  
Adrien looked at the Caller ID and said, “It’s him.”  
  
“He might tell us something useful. Just try to act normal and don’t let him know I’m listening.”  
  
Adrien answered the phone and said, trying not to show his anger, “Hello, Father.”  
  
Gabriel kept grunting in pain and struggled to say each sentence. “Adrien, I know this is . . . sudden. But I’m going away for a little while.”  
  
Adrien looked at Marinette, both thinking the same reason why he was leaving. Adrien said, pretending he didn’t know, “Why? What’s going on?”  
  
“It’s . . . a personal matter. No need for you to concern yourself with it.”  
  
Adrien said, “I might need to know where you are. Where are you going?”  
  
“I sorry, Adrien, but I can’t divulge that information.”  
  
Marinette signaled for him to keep going. Adrien said, “You’re scaring me, Father. I really need to know where you are.”  
  
“All you need to know is that I’m someplace safe. While I’m gone, Gorilla will stay at the mansion.”  
  
Adrien asked, passive aggressively, “Are you sure he will be? You also said he would pick me up earlier today.”  
  
Marinette shock her head at Adrien. She was afraid his new attitude toward his father would give them away.  
  
Gabriel said, “That communication error will not happen again. Gorilla will be at the mansion, as instructed.”  
  
“If you say so, Father.” Marinette whispered something in his ear and Adrien said, “I heard there was an akuma attack at the fashion show. Are you alright? What happened to Marinette and Alya?”  
  
“Alya wasn’t there due to my miscommunication with Gorilla. As for Marinette; I think it would be best for you to avoid her.”  
  
Adrien brows furrowed. He said with fake worry, “Why is that?”  
  
“I have a sinking feeling . . . that Ms. Dupain-Chang is conspiring with Hawk Moth.”  
  
Adrien stared daggers at the phone, looking like he was about to erupt with anger and trying to resist the urge to yell at him. Marinette signaled for him to take a deep breath and release it. After doing as she advised, Adrien said, “Are you sure? That doesn’t sound like Marinette.”  
  
“I insist that you not speak to her! I have to go now. I will see you again later.” And then he hung up.  
  
Adrien asked Marinette, “Did you hear that? He actually tried to blame you for what he’s done! What else has he lied to me about? What’s the real reason he didn’t want me to have friends when I was young? What else has he been doing while he’s alone? What really happened to my mother?”  
  
Marinette said, “We’ll get all the answers when we find him.”  
  
“The problem is we don’t know where he ran off to.”  
  
“I assumed he’d go back to the mansion, but it sounds like he knows that I know who he is. We won’t find him there.”  
  
Adrien added, “And he won’t find you there either.”  
  
“Huh?”  
  
“Hawk Moth knows who you are. Right now, the safest place for you to be is in his own house; the last place he’d think to look.”  
  
“Are there any security cameras in the mansion?”  
  
“None that I don’t know how to reprogram to play the same footage over and again.”  
  
“Then that’s a great idea.”  
  
Adrien asked, “But how are we going to convince your parents to stay there?”  
  
Marinette clutched her head and freaked out. “HOLY DUMPSTER FIRE! My parents! I didn’t even think of them! They’re targets now! Hawk Moth might have gotten to them by already! What in the world are we going to tell them?!”  
  
“Marinette. I think we should tell the truth.”  
  
“No, no, no, no, no, no, NO!” said Tikki at wit’s end. “Enough people know your identity as it is!”  
  
Adrien said, “Come on, Tikki. What’s the worst thing they could do? Tell Hawk Moth who she is as if he doesn’t know already?”  
  
Plagg said, “The worst thing they could do is tell Hawk Moth who you are. Remember, he still doesn’t know your identity.”  
  
Marinette said, “And that’s one advantage we need. It would be easy for Hawk Moth to akumatize one of them with all the worrying they’d be doing, knowing about the current situation. And once Hawk Moth akumatizes them and starts wondering why they’re in his house, we’re finished.”  
  
Adrien nodded his head understandingly and said, “So what do we tell them?”

  
  
“It was so generous of Gabriel to let us stay in his fancy mansion while our house is being fumigated at his expense. Isn’t it, Darling?” said Tom as he walked through the front door with a suitcase in each hand.  
  
Sabine replied, “I just hope they’ll be careful with the bakery supplies.”  
  
Marinette said, “Trust me. Everything will be exactly how we left it.”  
  
Adrien added, “It will be like the whole thing never happened.”

After everyone got settled in, Adrien and Marinette sat down on the couch in Adrien’s room. At this point, they were exhausted. Marinette asked, “So how did you get rid of Gorilla?”  
  
“I told him he could have a paid week off as long as he doesn’t tell Father about it.” Adrien grabbed the remote and turned on the TV.  
  
“Don’t be bemused. It’s just the news.”  
  
Marinette’s eyes were getting heavy. Involuntarily, she leaned her head back into the couch cushion.  
  
Françoise Dupont has unfortunately burned to the ground. Crime fighting due, Ladybug and Cat Noir have made a statement first publicized on the Ladyblog, saying that they are unable to repair the damages yet, but they will be able to after defeating Hawk Moth. They also shared a bit of good news. Apparently, Ladybug and Cat Noir have taken supervillain, Mayura’s miraculous away from her and she will no longer be able to create sentimonsters using it.  
  
Adrien said, “With everything going on, I almost forgot how good that news is. We’ve made some real progress, and we should remember . . .” Adrien felt something on his shoulder. He found that Marinette had fallen asleep and her head was resting peacefully on his shoulder. Adrien smiled at her, turned off the TV, relaxed, and closed his eyes.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So the thing that used to be in Chapter 6 was Adrien and Marinette kissing and officialy becoming a couple. I actually wrote the part where Ladybug takes the spear for Cat Noir before I decided to make the change. I figured that rearanging a few things was a good fix.
> 
> In case you're wondering; now, that kiss is going to staying where it is. No takesies backsies this time. From here, we have new places to take the story. (And there's not all going to be happy.)
> 
> Thank you reading and- OH! I almost forgot! If you're interested, don't forget to read my other fanfiction, Disney Princesses: Extermination. Chapter 1 is out now, and the next is coming tomorrow night.
> 
> Am I forgetting anything else? I guess I could tell you that I have plans for the rest of the story and it will "probably" end up having anywhere from 12 to 14 chapters.
> 
> Thank you for reading and I hope you come back for more of my work.


	8. Chapter 8

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Author's Note: I'd like to say thank you to any of you who are also reading Disney Princesses: Extermination. That story isn't getting the same attention that Miraculous Contempt is, (YET) but I still consider it worth writing. I'm pretty sure the Disney fandom doesn't get as much trafic as the Miraculous Ladybug fandom. But I'll keep writing other stories and I'll keep asking for my readers to give Disney Princesses: Extermination a chance. To the few of you who are reading both stories; don't worry because it's not going to be discontinued. I know a lot of fanfic writers leave a story unfinished, but I'll always try to see a story through to the end.

Marinette woke up alone on the couch. She looked around and called out, “Adrien?” The lack of a response was troubling. She took a look around the room and found nothing. She took a look around the house and found nothing. She returned to Adrien’s room and dialed his number into her phone. It started ringing and then . . .  
  
THUD!  
  
Marinette screamed and whipped her head around to face what ever made that sound.  
  
“Sorry. Didn’t mean to startle you.” Cat Noir had jumped through the window and landed hard. He was responsible for the sound that made her jump.  
  
Marinette sighed, being frustrated at herself. “It’s okay, Kitty. I’m just kind of jumpy now that Hawk Moth knows my identity.”  
  
Cat Noir detransformed as Marinette asked him, “What were you up to?”  
  
Adrien held up the bags he was carrying and said, “I was grabbing breakfast for us and your parents. I would have asked what you wanted, but I didn’t want to wake you.”  
  
“Whatever it is, it smells good.”  
  
Adrien gave her a quick kiss and started walking towards the door while saying, “We should try to figure how to beat Hawk today, but it can wait a little bit. After breakfast, we should probably take a shower.”  
  
DID HE REALLY JUST SAY THAT!? Did he really just invite her to take a showing with him!? Marinette couldn’t breathe. Was she ready for that kind of intimacy? They were both so young and they just became a couple the previous day. What would Adrien do if she refused? What would her parents think if she went through with it against her better judgment? What was she going to . . .  
  
Adrien said, “You can go first. I have a few things I’d like to do while you’re showering.”  
  
Marinette deflated, finally able to breathe again. She clutched her chest, panting and thanking God that Adrien meant they should take showers separately.

  
Adrien, Marinette, and her parents sat down at the table where Adrien had set the food. Tom said, “You didn’t have to buy us something. We could’ve made breakfast to thank you for letting us stay here.”  
  
Adrien said, “Nonsense. You’re my guests and it’s my job to be a good host. Besides, I’m sure you two would rather have a break from all that baking.”  
  
Marinette and Adrien hadn’t told Tom and Sabine they were a couple, but they guessed that that was the case and they just happened to be right. They each looked at Adrien approvingly, glad for their daughter’s decision.  
  
Sabine said, “I wish your father could have had breakfast with your father.”  
  
Adrien said, “Trust me, it’s better that he not be here.”  
  
Tom and Sabine looked at each other, wondering what he meant by that. Marinette wasn’t sure if Adrien has implied that he was disrespectful or if he had implied that his father was Hawk Moth. Both options had Marinette wishing he didn’t say that. She said nervously, “Whahahat Adrien means is that Mr. Agreste has very important work to do.” She turned to Adrien and said almost aggressively, “Isn’t that right, Adrien?”  
  
Adrien looked at Marinette without saying anything for a little too long before he finally said, “Yes, he’s a very busy man.”  
  
After the awkward silence had passed, Sabine said, “So, Adrien, if you don’t mind my asking, I heard you and Kagami broke up. What happened, exactly? Did she turn out to not be the girl you thought she was?”  
  
Adrien said, “Honestly, it was really my fault.”  
  
Marinette quickly said, “Tell us the specifics so our imaginations don’t run wild.”  
  
“I made her think we had something real, but we didn’t. So I told her I couldn’t do it anymore.”  
  
Desperate for a less dangerous subject, Marinette started stuffing her face and said with her mouth full, “Adrien, this is really good! Where did you get this again?!”

  
After breakfast, Adrien and Marinette sat down in Adrien’s room and played video games while talking about super hero business and Hawk Moth. Adrien asked, “What do you think Hawk Moth is going to do next?”  
  
“The same thing he does after all his think-out-side-the-box-plans fails; go back to the rinse, repeat formula until he thinks of another one.”  
  
“Sounds about right.”  
  
Marinette said, “I know you don’t like keeping these secrets, but we probably shouldn’t let anyone know we’re dating until we’ve defeated Hawk Moth. He told you not to hang out with me and he might think Ladybug and Cat Noir are a couple already. If he finds out about us, he’ll be able to figure out that you’re Cat Noir.”  
  
“I understand wanting to keep it a secret from Hawk Moth, but could we let our closest friends know and tell them it’s a secret?”  
  
Marinette said, “I’m sure if Alya found out, she would get so excited she would tell everyone she knows.”  
  
“Not if you make it clear how important it is to keep it quiet. Isn’t that why you should tell her and make sure she doesn’t spill the secret, rather than let her find out on her own and blab to everyone before you’ve had a chance to talk to her?”  
  
“Uh . . . that’s actually a good point.”  
  
“I have a sneaking suspicion that your parents already know. We should definitely ask them not to spread the word.”  
  
“Maybe you’re right. But we are going to have to be selective about who we tell.”  
  
Adrien suggested, “Alya and Nino are going to find out eventually; so definitely them.”  
  
“Alright, but definitely not Juleka. Luka went to Juvy because of something he did, thinking I was cheating on him with you. There’s no telling what Juleka would do if she found out that . . .”

  
“Adrien and Marinette are dating!?” Juleka shouted, staring daggers at a picture of them together on her phone. “That little backstabber really did cheat on him!” Juleka threw her at the wall in a fit of rage. She stormed over to her dresser and flipped it onto its side, trying to satisfy her fury. Her eyes caught on something that fell off the dresser. A helmet; her brother’s helmet. She knelt down and held the helmet with both hands, so sad to be separated from her brother, so angry at Marinette for “pushing him to do it”. Maybe the dark butterfly embedding itself into the helmet would help.  
  
Juleka heard Hawk Moth say, “In the past, you were transformed into Reflekta by such petty and small annoyances that could only shatter someone as fragile as you. Poor little Juleka didn’t look good in the class photo. Poor little Juleka didn’t get to play dress up. Poor little Juleka got a mean video sent to her. Now, you have truly suffered. Now, you have real hatred and despair strong enough to turn you into something far more powerful than you’ve ever been before. Your so called friend, Marinette has betrayed you. Shouldn’t she suffer too?”  
  
Juleka said, “Give me the power to kill her.”  
  
“From this day forward, you are not Reflekta. You are Night Hollow.”

  
Their gaming session was interrupted by the sound of Marinette’s phone ringing. Adrien paused the game while Marinette answered, saying, “Hello?”  
  
Alya asked franticly, “Marinette! Are you okay?!”  
  
Marinette put her on speaker phone so Adrien could hear and said, “Yes. I’m okay. Why do you ask?”  
  
“You don’t know? A super villain just wrecked your house!”  
  
Marinette wasn’t surprised. She thought, “Good thing we brought Mama and Papa here.” She said out loud, “Do you know who it was?”  
  
“No. It was too dark to see.”  
  
“Too dark?” Marinette asked as she looked out the window to the bright, sunny day. Marinette said, “Thanks for calling me, Alya. I’ll be right over there.”  
  
“WHAT?!”  
  
Marinette said in a panic, realizing she slipped, “I mean I’ll stay away from there! Gotta go. I need to get further away from my house. Bye Alya!”  
  
“Very smooth, muh lady,” Adrien teased. For that, Marinette groaned at him.

  
Ladybug and Cat Noir arrived at Marinette’s house and it looked horrible. Giant holes in the walls, baking ingredients and tools were scattered and spilled. The counter, among other things, was in two pieces.  
  
Cat Noir called out, “Hello in there!” After waiting for a response that never came, Cat Noir said, “We must have missed them.”  
  
A shadow crept across the concrete without them noticing. From the shadow, someone emerged: someone dangerous. Night Hollow wore a cloak over black armor. The right side of her mask was a metal replica of Juleka’s face while the left was smooth and void of details. The rest of her head was covered in a formfitting helmet, but her see through hair was right where it would be if there was no helmet.  
  
Ladybug and Cat Noir heard the rippling sound of Night Hollow creating a ten foot long blade made of darkness that extended from her palm. They turned to face her and quickly did backflips as she swung. Ladybug and Cat Noir stood with prepared weapons, having evaded the attack. Night Hollow’s blade quickly dissipated. Apparently her blades wouldn’t last long. Night Hollow stood casually and calmly. She slowly clapped her hands twice and the light of day snapped to the dark of night. From where the stood, it looked like it was midnight, except the street light and house light weren’t on. They could even see the stars. In the darkness, Night Hollow blended in. She was reabsorbed into her shadow and she zoomed away. Night Hollow reappeared behind them and said, “Boo.”  
  
They tried to hit her, but she was gone again. She reappeared, standing on the wall and asked monotone, “Did I scare you?”  
  
She reappeared across the street and asked, “Did I convince you that everything is hopeless?”  
  
At yet another location she asked, “Did I put you further back in the shell you were just starting to claw your way out of? Did I make you feel what you’ve made me feel?”  
  
Ladybug asked, “What are you talking about?”  
  
Night Hollow appeared not far in front of Ladybug. But it was too dark for Ladybug to see her. She growled, “Don’t play dumb, Marinette!”  
  
Ladybug winced, hopping no one was around to hear that name. It was too dark for Ladybug to see her, but Cat Noir had night vision. He swung at Night Hollow, only for her to reveal another trick of hers. All the pieces of Night Hollow’s armor flew off and held still in midair. Underneath all that armor, she was see through and intangible; she was hollow. Cat Noir’s staff passed right through her like she was a ghost. The pieces of her armor flew right back on and she extended a blade from her palm that struck him and blasted him away. Ladybug shouted, “Kitty!” she couldn’t see Night Hollow, but she had heard Cat Noir scream in pain.  
  
Night Hollow said, “You told me we were friends.”  
  
“We are friends.”  
  
“LIAR! You and Adrien are dating! You cheated on my brother!”  
  
That sounded bad. If she knew Marinette and Adrien were dating, that had to have meant that Hawk Moth knew too. But she had to be smart about this. For all she knew Hawk Moth just told Juleka that they were dating to upset her, not knowing himself that they actually were dating. Ladybug said, “Juleka, listen to me. I did not cheat on Luka. Me and him weren’t right for each other, but I would never do that to anyone!”  
  
“I already have evidence. I don’t want to hear your lies; just you screams.”  
  
Ladybug thought, “Evidence? What kind of evidence could she have if I didn’t do it?” That thought echoed until she was struck down by a blade made of darkness.  
  
“You took my brother away from me.”  
  
Ladybug said, “I know it’s hard. I know it’s easier to point fingers at someone else. But Luka is responsible for his own actions.”  
  
There was short lived silence until Night Hollow said, “I’ll take the easy way out of this pain.” Night Hollow swung a blade downward, but Cat Noir defended Ladybug with his staff. Night Hollow swung at him instead, but he kept up his defenses. He rushed forward, but she grabbed him by the throat and squeezed. Cat Noir felt something being drained out of him. He resisted at first, but then he started wondering why. He stopped moving and dropped his arms to his sides apathetically. She took him with her into her shadow and appeared on top of Marinette’s house. Then the light came back and Night Hollow said, “This, I want you to see.” Cat Noir was awake, but limp. The day light had come back, but Cat Noir looked dark, as if he was in the shade. Night Hollow grabbed his leg with her other hand and lifted him up while bending her knee, ready to break him

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Author's Note: Aside from the two heroes, Juleka is my favorite character in Miraculous Ladybug. I never thought that her super villain identity did her justice in the show. Hopefully you'll all like Night Hollow better.


	9. Chapter 9

Cat Noir couldn’t find the motivation to struggle. He was limp, apathetic, and darkened. Night Hollow held him above her head, about to break his back.

Ladybug screamed, “CAT NOIR!”

Her voice hit him. He was flooded with memories of her. Among the bombardment of reminiscence, three memories stood out. “She was my light. I had light. And I’m terrified that I’ll never get that back.” “Because you have me now. I wasn’t there for you when you were hurting before, but I’m here for you now.” “Adrien, I’m so proud of you.”

Cat Noir lit up. He was no longer limp, he was no longer apathetic, he was no longer darkened. He had light. He hit Night Hollow with his staff and she dropped him. Cat Noir hit her a few more times. Loud clanks sounded off as he struck his staff against her armor. All her armor flew off of her hollow body, and Cat Noir’s staff passed through it. Night Hollow created a blade made of darkness that extended from her palm, but before she could unleash her counterattack, Ladybug sprang into the fight. Still in midair, Ladybug hit Night Hollow’s hand with her yoyo. The blade dissipated and Cat Noir struck her again.

Night Hollow got some distance from Cat Noir and clapped her hands twice. The light went out and the day turned to night again. Cat Noir could see just fine thanks to his night vision. Ladybug couldn’t see a thing, but she had her memory to rely on. She was on the roof of her own house and she knew where to find everything. She made her way to the balcony door hearing the rippling sound of blades made of darkness, clanks, and grunts. She had to hurry; but could she hurry without tripping over every object in the house? She stubbed her toe, but caught herself in time. She made it to the door and fell through. She climbed off her bed and felt the house rumbling. She rushed over to a drawer and pulled out a flashlight. She made her way back to the roof. Her yoyo in one hand and her flashlight in the other. She looked around, her vision limited to what the flashlight could illuminate. “Kitty, where are you?!”

“Down here!”

Ladybug ran to the banister and looked down. She shined the light around, trying to find them. There! She knew where they were; she just had to make the jump correctly. She leaped from the banister, trying to put the right amount of power into it. She fell from the sky and punched downward as she landed. She hit the ground, but didn’t damage Night Hollow. Had she aimed wrong? No. She had landed in the right place. Night Hollow had just hidden herself in her shadow. Night Hollow reappeared elsewhere. Darkness swirled around her and lifted her into the air. She created a blade and shot herself toward them. They both jumped out of the way, but the impact shot bits of concrete everywhere like a frag grenade.

With the heroes separated by the blast, Night Hollow ran towards Ladybug, the true object of her hatred. Even with the flashlight, Night Hollow was hard to see. Light seemed to barely stick to her. But this was a challenge Ladybug wouldn’t back down from. As Ladybug kept her light shined on her opponent. Night Hollow swung diagonally, prompting Ladybug to duck and step to the right. When Ladybug came back up, she punched forward, but she only passed through Night Hollow’s intangible body. Night Hollow’s armor flew back on and she slashed Ladybug in the back. Ladybug grit her teeth in pain and shined the light on her again. Night Hollow swung again, horizontally this time. Ladybug jumped and spun in the air with her body sideways. The blade made of darkness passed under her and she kicked Night Hollow in the helmet. Night Hollow tried to strike again, but Cat noir rushed in and deflected the next blade. Ladybug took advantage of the opening and hit Night Hollow multiple times. For the next forty seconds, every time Night Hollow took off her armor to avoid one hero’s attack, the other was ready to hit her whenever the armor flew back on. Ladybug would have been doing even better if she didn’t have the disadvantage of having to hold the flashlight. Night Hollow was losing. . . . Until . . . Night Hollow swung at Ladybug repeatedly. Ladybug kept shining that flashlight on her and deflecting her attacks; until Night Hollow slashed her flashlight in half. The light was gone. Once again, Ladybug couldn’t see anything. Night Hollow struck Ladybug multiple times. Cat Noir stepped in to defend her. With Night Hollow concentrated on Cat Noir, Ladybug had some time to herself. She had no better idea than to call for a “LUCKY CHARM!” Whatever her lucky charm was, it landed in front of her. She kneeled down and searched until she found a plastic bag. Not a shopping bag; it was too stiff and less crinkled. She pressed and rubbed her fingers against it, trying to figure out what was inside. She felt smooth tubes and she knew. “Glow sticks. I know exactly what I’m supposed to do with this.”

Ladybug took the glow sticks out of the bag and cracked them all, causing them to light up. She could see, but just a little. She could hear weapons clanking against each other, so she ran in that direction. She got close enough for the glow sticks to shine on Night Hollow. Ladybug put most of the glow sticks in the string wrapped around her waist. She took one of the glow sticks and ripped it open, splattering the glowing liquid onto Night Hollow.

Night Hollow slipped into her shadow and appeared elsewhere. Night Hollow tried to wipe off the glow, but that only spread it out. Ladybug pointed at Night Hollow, able to see her at a distance and said, “There you are.” As the battle continued, Ladybug kept splattering more glowing liquid on Night Hollow. Ladybug could fight even better, not needing to manage the flashlight.

Ladybug saw the glow on Night Hollow’s arm rise up and she heard the rippling sound. She knew what was coming. She used her yoyo string to block the attack, and when the blade dissipated, Ladybug wrapped the string around Night Hollow’s arm. Using the string, she flung Night Hollow overhead and slammed her back down.

Night Hollow laid motionless. Ladybug and Cat Noir gathered around her, ready to end it. Night Hollow quickly fell into her shadow and appeared right in front of them, standing up. She lunged forward and grabbed both of them by the necks. Daylight returned as they were both drained of their motivation. Each of them looked darker than everything around them. They stopped fighting back and fell to their knees before Night Hollow. She created a blade made of darkness and was about to strike Cat Noir. At this, Ladybug became furious. She was no longer darkened. She had fire. Ladybug grabbed the falling blade, not letting it touch Cat Noir. It burned, but she didn’t care. The blade dissipated and Ladybug hit Night Hollow with an uppercut so powerful it shot her into the air. Ladybug threw her yoyo and wrapped the string all over Night Hollow. When she landed, Night Hollow tried to make her armor fly off, but the string kept it all held together. Ladybug got on top of Night Hollow and punched her helmet over and over. It went on for a long time. Each hit was filled with rage. Night Hollow’s helmet was strong, but Ladybug’s fury was stronger. The helmet cracked more and more until it finally broke in half. The akuma flew out of it and Ladybug purified it. After untying Juleka, Ladybug threw the empty bag into the air and shouted, “Miraculous Ladybug!” All the damages done to the house were undone. Cat Noir stood up, no longer darkened.

Juleka asked, “What happened?”

Instead of answering her question, Ladybug said, “I think you should have a talk with Marinette. Preferably in person.”

“Um. Do you know where she is?”

Ladybug asked, “Cat Noir, could you take her to the bridge where Andre is usually set up? She can find Marinette there.”

“Can do, Muh Lady.”

  
Cat Noir had carried Juleka to the bridge a little slower than he could have, giving Marinette time to get there first. Juleka met Marinette and said, “I know you’re dating Adrien!”  
  
Marinette said, “Listen, I promise you I didn’t start dating Adrien until after Luka and I broke up.”  
  
Juleka crossed her arms and mumbled, “Yeah right.”  
  
“Juleka, I wouldn’t have done that to anyone; especially since he’s your brother.”  
  
“Why does that matter?”  
  
“Because we’re friends.”  
  
Juleka pouted, “A friend wouldn’t steal my bike.”  
  
“I borrowed your bike, returned it, and paid for the repairs. You know what a friend would do?”  
  
“What?” she asked with scrutinizing eyes.  
  
“A friend would always assure you that you can do the things that scare you. Haven’t I always pushed you to go further out of your shell?”  
  
Juleka dropped her scrutiny and admitted, “I guess.”  
  
“Juleka, I’m sorry that you’re hurting. But you can’t live in denial about your brother. Do you really think I’m to blame for him attacking someone with a knife? Even if I did cheat on him, which you know deep down I didn’t, would that really justify what he did?”  
  
Juleka let it sink in. She realized it was Luka’s fault; no one else’s. Tears filled her eyes. “Your right. I’m sorry I was so quick to assume. I just can’t hold on to it; you know. I know he did something horrible, I just can’t keep believing it.”  
  
“I get it. Does this mean we can be friends again?”  
  
Juleka looked to the side shyly and said, “On one condition.”  
  
“Anything.”  
  
“Could you ask your boyfriend not to brag about putting my brother away any in front of me?”  
  
Marinette thought that sounded reasonable. She nodded and said, “I can do that.”  
  
Juleka put on a week smile and said, “Then, yeah. We can be friends.”  
  
Marinette and Juleka gave each other a hug. It felt nice for Juleka to not have all that anger anymore. A giant weight had been lifted off both of them. After they parted, Marinette asked, “Hey, Juleka?”  
  
“Yeah?”  
  
“If you don’t mind my asking, how did you find out about me and Adrien?”  
  
Juleka answered, “I got a picture texted to me.”  
  
Marinette felt a jolt in her heart. She thought, “Someone took a picture of us? How? Did they take it through Adrien’s window?” Marinette asked out loud, “Could I see that picture?”  
  
Juleka said, “Sure,” brought up the picture on her phone, and handed it to Marinette.  
  
She studied it closely. The picture displayed Adrien and Marinette alone on the Eifel Tower. Marinette furrowed her eyebrows, not remembering this moment. She looked closer. There was a vague outline around each of them. And the scaling was just a little bit off. Marinette thought, “This moment never happened. This picture is a fake. Whoever sent this doesn’t actually know that Adrien and I are actually dating. They just sent this to make Juleka upset. Someone was trying to get her akumatized. But who would do that?” Marinette took a look at the caller ID and immediately became so angry that her face was twitching and her hand was shaking. She could barely keep Juleka from knowing how angry she was. It was Lila who sent the picture.  
  
Marinette handed the phone back and said, “Thank you, Juleka. Listen, it would mean a lot to me if you didn’t tell anyone about me and Adrien. We want it to come from us at the right time.”  
  
Juleka said, “Alright, see you around.”  
  
Marinette said pleasantly, “See you.”  
  
Once their backs were turned, Marinette’s face contorted with rage as she dreamed of ways to punish Lila for her transgressions. Marinette walked back to Cat Noir on the side of the bridge. She kept her eyes off of him so he wouldn’t think it was him she was mad at. Marinette looked around to make sure they were alone and said with smoldering hatred, “I have good news and I have useful news.”  
  
Cat Noir asked, “Is that why your about to explode?”  
  
“Oh yes. The good news is, Hawk Moth doesn’t know about us; which means he doesn’t know about you.”  
  
“And the ‘useful’ news?”  
  
“Lila is working with Hawk Moth.”  
  
“What? How do you know?”  
  
Marinette answered, “She sent a fake picture of us together so Juleka would try to kill me. And besides that, at the fashion show, Hawk Moth was able to turn her into Kitsune a little too quickly. Like she had already agreed to it.”  
  
Cat Noir wanted to be sad that she would do this. But really, it wasn’t that surprising. “And you’re calling this useful news because . . . ?”  
  
“Because we don’t know where Hawk Moth is, but she might.”

  
Thankfully, Alya knew where Lila lived, because Marinette and Adrien had no idea until they asked her. Marinette knocked on the apartment door, expecting to be answered by Lila. The door was opened by Lila’s mother instead. Marinette had to improvise. “Hello,” she said pleasantly. “My name is Marinette Dupain-Chang. Is Lila home? I heard she got akumatized and I wanted to make sure she was okay.”  
  
“Lila is doing fine. But she’s not here right now.” That was two bits of horrible news.  
  
“Where is she?”  
  
Ms. Rossi said proudly, “Well, my little girl is helping build a soup kitchen by day and she’s going to be raising money for mental health awareness by night.”  
  
Marinette was disheartened. She hoped that Lila’s own mother would be able to figure out she’s obviously lying from time to time.  
  
Ms. Rossi continued, “You know, I had no idea that the best time for fund raising was in the middle of the night. But if my daughter says it is, it must be true.”  
  
Marinette asked, “Do you know when Lila will be back?”  
  
“She told me that she’ll be home tomorrow night.”  
  
“That’s very helpful. Thank you, Ms. Rossi. If you wouldn’t mind, I’d like to make my visit a surprise, so could you not tell her I was here?”  
  
“Sure. You’re such a good friend. I expected you to be a brute. I’m glad to see how well you’ve reformed after all the accounts of assault and battery on an officer.”  
  
Marinette wanted so badly to tell her that no such accounts existed, but she knew she wasn’t going to win in a match of her word against Lila’s. Instead, Marinette asked, “What else did Lila tell you about me?”  
  
Ms. Rossi said comfortingly, “That you just finished serving your sentence and you are already facing drug addiction. I’m so proud of my daughter for helping you work through your self-destructive tendencies.”  
  
Marinette sighed.  
  
“Listen, if you ever need a place to hide from your abusive parents . . .”  
  
“YOU KNOW WHAT!? I just remembered that there’s another girl at school named Marinette . . . Dupain Chang,” she added, remembering that she used her full name earlier. “You must have the two of us confused. See you later.”  
  
Marinette marched away, even closer to exploding.  
  
Marinette went outside and signaled for Cat Noir to come down from the window. He acknowledged and went to an alley to detransform. They had it all planned out. Marinette was going to be all cool, pretending she didn’t know about Lila and Hawk Moth. She was going to talk her into going to her room with her. She was going to make up an excuse to open the window. And then Cat Noir was going to come in and demand to know where Hawk Moth was. They even had a plan to pretend Cat Noir was akumatized to explain why he would carry Lila off against her will. But their plans were all blown (for now, at least).  
  
Adrien met Marinette and asked, “What happened?”  
  
Marinette answered bitterly, “Lila’s mother told me that she’s building a soup kitchen for insane orphans or some used toilet paper like that. I don’t know what she’s really up to, but her mom also told me that she’ll be back tomorrow night.”  
  
“Sounds like we’ve got some time to kill.”  
  
Marinette asked, “Do you have any ideas?”  
  
“I was thinking maybe we could fit in our first official date.”  
  
Marinette liked the idea so much, it almost made her not angry. Marinette said, “I could use a chance to relax, actually. And it’s not like we’d be slacking off. The next step in our plan is just waiting until Lila gets back. So, where are you taking me?”  
  
Adrien said with an over the top tone, “To the Eifel Tower! To the finest restaurant that doesn’t require a reservation! After that, we can see where the night takes us when Paris is ours.”  
  
Marinette said, “That sounds perfect.”  
  
Adrien thought nervously, “And then, I’ll have something very important to ask of her.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Author's Note: You might think I'm going to stop asking you to consider reading Disney Princesses: Extermination. BUT I WILL NEVER STOP ASKING YOU TO CONSIDER READING DISNEY PRINCESSES: EXTERMINATION! So, if you're interested, please consider reading my other fanfiction, Disney Princesses: Extermination.  
> Thank you for reading and I hope you come back for more of my work.


	10. Chapter 10

She knew she was far more nervous than she should’ve been. It wasn’t like this was her first date. It was, however, her first date with Adrien, the real love of her life. Also, it’s not like her previous romantic relationship went very well. Also, also, she couldn’t help but think she was on thin ice with Adrien, considering how upset he used to be with her. The more she thought about it, the more she felt justified in being nervous.  
  
Adrien and Marinette let Marinette’s parents know they were heading out. They decided to go to the Eifel Tower in their superhero personas, partly because it was quicker, but also because they wanted a portion of their date dedicated to Ladybug and Cat Noir. They would go to diner as Marinette and Adrien later.  
  
Ladybug and Cat Noir looked over the balcony, taking in the sights of Paris. Ladybug thought, “Okay, I can do this. I’ve prepared for everything. I have a list of interests we can talk about, I have contingency plans in case of any possible emergency, and I reviewed Adrien’s normal schedule to analyze the edicate he’s used to. Nothing can possibly go wrong. There’s no reason to panic.”  
  
Cat Noir decided to ask a little icebreaker-question. Something small to ease them into a pleasant conversation. “I’ve been wondering, out of all the villains we ever beat, who was your favorite?”  
  
Ladybug thought, “PANIC! What’s the right answer!? Uh, uh, tell him your favorite was Copycat because he was so much like him. No, Copycat framed him, he won’t want to hear he’s my favorite! Um. Tell him he was your favorite as Cat Blanc. Wait, he still doesn’t know about that timeline. Should I tell him about Cat Blanc? I’ll tell him later. Um. Find a way out of this!” Ladybug asked out loud, “Why do you ask?” and thought, “Nice save.”  
  
Cat Noir said, “Just making conversation.”  
  
Ladybug thought, “Of course he was just making conversation! How could I ask something so stupid!? Just answer truthfully and hope he does break up with you on the spot.” Ladybug said meekly, “My favorite was Guitar Villain because I basically got a front row seat to a Jagged Stone concert.”  
  
Cat Noir said, “Interesting choice. My favorite was Oblivio.”  
  
Ladybug asked with a sour face, “It is?” Ladybug thought in a panic, “DID YOU JUST INSULT HIS CHOICE!?” She said out loud, “I MEAN . . . we don’t even remember beating Oblivio.”  
  
“I don’t remember the fight, but I remember the picture Alya showed us afterwards.”  
  
“Oh yeah. You were pretty happy about that.”  
  
“I wish we could remember what happened that day.”  
  
Ladybug said, “If I knew, I’d tell you. But I have another story you don’t remember. When we fought Dark Cupid, you got hit with one of his arrows and acted like you hated me.”  
  
“I always wondered what happened that day, after I got hit.”  
  
“Well, all it to break the curse was true love’s kiss.”  
  
Cat Noir said, “Really? You kissed me?”  
  
“Yeah,” she said bashfully.  
  
Cat Noir leaned closer to her and said with a smile, “So, uh . . . how did you know it would work? I mean, if it had to be true love?”  
  
“I wasn’t sure it would. After it did, I came up with a few different explanations. I told myself that it could have been platonic love. In retrospect, I think it was because I was in love with your alter ego.”  
  
Cat Noir said, “Ooooorr . . . maybe you had a little more love for Cat Noir than you let on?”  
  
Ladybug rolled her eyes and said, “Well, I do remember thinking I might have given Cat Noir a chance if you-know-who never existed.”  
  
“I KNEW IT! But wait. . . . Why didn’t you?”  
  
That was a valid question after what she just told him. Why would she date Luka instead of Cat Noir if she felt like she couldn’t have Adrien? Ladybug was nervous about telling him. But she wasn’t about to lie about it. Ladybug said, “The truth is . . . I wanted a normal relationship. And, without our secret identities revealed, I didn’t think Cat Noir could give me one.”  
  
Cat Noir looked just a little hurt. “That’s the reason?”  
  
“Kitty . . . if we just started dating, not know our secret identities, how would that even work? I won’t have been able to introduce you to my parents. We wouldn’t have been able to hang out with our friends. We would just have moments of either sitting around doing nothing or fighting a super villain. I needed someone who could be with me through the normal things in my life.  
  
Cat Noir said somberly, yet understandingly, “Yeah. That makes sense. I just thought . . .” Cat Noir shook he head and said, “Forget it. Let’s talk more about . . .”  
  
“Kitty, it’s okay. You just thought what?”  
  
Cat Noir said, “I just . . . thought that what we had was better than ‘normal’.”  
  
Ladybug said sadly, “Kitty, I . . . It – it was better. I just – I was stupid.”  
  
“You’re weren’t stupid, muh Lady.”  
  
“Yes, I was. If I wanted that normal relationship so badly, and if I couldn’t date your alter ego, I should have told you who I was a long time ago.” She felt guilty and it showed.  
  
Cat Noir put a hand on her back and said, “Don’t feel bad, muh Lady. You’ve told me now, that’s what’s important.”  
  
Ladybug gave him a small smile and said, “I love you.”  
  
“I love you too.”  
  
They both had the same idea at the same time. They each leaned in and gave each other a kiss.  
  
The first part of their date went off alright. After they had their fill of the view, they found a safe place to detransform and then they walked to the restaurant as Adrien and Marinette. Everything went smoothly for them, at least.

  
Not all were happy that night, however. At Alya’s house, Nino said, “It’s not just ‘some school’! It’s where we met. It’s where we met most of our friends. I feel like I’m the only dude who care cares about that place.”  
  
Alya said did a hand wave and, “Oh, that’s just because you are.”  
  
Nino gasped and said, “How could you say such a thing.”  
  
Alya said, not adopting his dramatic tone, “Relax, Nino. Ladybug and Cat Noir will have the school fixed eventually. Until then, just enjoy the school break.”  
  
“Ladybug and Cat Noir might be two bodacious super heroes, but they’ve been at it for years and still haven’t been able to bust Hawk Moth. It could take forever before that school gets repaired if we wait on them. We should be more active; raising money or volunteering to help with reconstruction.”  
  
Alya said, “You, volunteer for manual labor? That’ll never happen. Besides, it’s not our responsibility to fix that place. I’ll be right back. I need to grab a soda.”  
  
Nino turned away from her, feeling discouraged and unheard. Then, an akuma flew into his ever present headphones. He heard Hawk Moth say, “How hard it must be to be the only one who cares. They all think it’s not their problem. But I can give you the power to make it their problem.”  
  
Nino said, “As long as you don’t make my powers all about bubbles again, I’m on board, Hawk Dude.”  
  
“Of course. This time, you’ll be doing what you were born to do.”

  
After paying the check, Adrien and Marinette walked through the streets of Paris, laughing as they went. Marinette said, seeming drunk on this good mood, “Oh, what a night. It feels like this is how things were supposed to be all along.”  
  
“It does.”  
  
“And to think I was nervous about this.”  
  
Adrien said, “There was actually something I was nervous about, too.”  
  
“You? Nervous around me? That’s strange. Whatever it is, just relax. Tell me, what are you afraid of?”  
  
They stopped walking. Adrien took her hands in his and said seriously while she kept smiling at him, “Before, I wouldn’t have brought this idea up. I thought you would be too strict with the rules listen to me.”  
  
“I’m done not listening to you, Adrien.”  
  
“I know. Marinette, I’d move mountains for you and I’d like to think you’d do something big for me if I needed it more than anything.”  
  
“Tell me.”  
  
Adrien said, “Marinette, I need to use the combined power of our miraculouses to wish for my mother to come back.”  
  
Marinette’s smile slowly melted and she felt sick. What he was asking was unthinkable. But how could she deny him this. She stayed silent and couldn’t decide whether or not to rip her hands out of his. She couldn’t use the miraculous to make a wish, but she also couldn’t tell Adrien he can’t have his mother back. She spoke cautiously and slowly. “Adrien, let’s talk this through before we get carried away.”  
  
“What are you saying?” he asked while tightening his grip slightly.  
  
She tried to be gentle, but he still got upset. Marinette ripped her hands out of his and said, “Wait, wait, wait! I’m not saying no!” Listen, if we use the miraculouses to make a wish, it will come at an equal cost. Since you are the one benefiting from bringing her back, it will probably be you to pay that price.”  
  
“Then let me pay it! Whatever it takes from me, it will be worth it.”  
  
Marinette said, “You can’t know how much this would hurt. What if it is something that hurts just as much as losing your mother? We’ve never used a wish before; I don’t know if anyone ever has! There’s no telling what might happen!”  
  
Adrien said with only partially contained anger, “You’ve taken big risks time and time again to save people. Now I need you save my mother and you won’t even consider it. Marinette, I thought we were done with this!”  
  
Marinette held out her hands and said, “Adrien, calm down.”  
  
“No. I won’t. You can help me bring back the only family I have left. You owe this to me!”  
  
Marinette was hurt by his tone. She wasn’t angry at him; this was his mother they were talking about. He had a right to be emotional. Marinette felt like there was two hundred pounds weighing her down and she was about to crack. What could she say? “I . . .”  
  
Marinette had never been so glad to feel the earth tremble. Something big was going on and it created a miniature earthquake. Something hacked into their phones and played a message from a super villain with the best timing. “You all must have heard the epic destruction of tubular proportions that I have rained down. You’ll find a pile of rubble were an abandoned building used to be. Here’s the deal; in one hour, I will demolish a hospital unless you all donate enough money to rebuild Françoise Dupont. Link in the description to my campaign. Be generous or else.”  
  
Marinette said, “That doesn’t sound like any charity campaign I’ve ever seen.”  
  
Not wanting their previous topic to drop, Adrien said, “Marinette, I’m still . . .”  
  
Marinette interrupted him, saying, “Usually, they don’t make threats like that. However, there’s always a lot of people who just watch the show and don’t donate.”  
  
“Marinette, you can’t just . . .”  
  
“We need to get going! We only have one hour and he didn’t say which hospital!”  
  
Marinette turned to run into an alley, but stopped when Adrien said, “This isn’t over.”  
  
Marinette stood there and somberly, “I know.”

  
After transforming, Ladybug and Cat Noir rushed from one hospital to the next, until they found the right one. They could tell that this was the one before they even reached it because there were police cars wounded officers with very unusual battle damage. Blast marks had left neon colors on everything that had been damaged. They couldn’t help but notice that there were no blast marks on the concrete despite the number of shots that had clearly been fired. It seemed as though whoever did this never misses. The strangest thing was what they heard more clearly the closer they got to the hospital. “Dubstep?” Ladybug asked with confusion.  
  
They landed on the roof and grabbed the attention of their villain. His otherwise black, shiny suit was covered in audio displays; colorful measurements of sound that went up and down with the beat were on his torso, arms, and legs. His helmet had a cap-bill that was a holographic audio display. His face was covered with a black screen through which any number of imagines could be crafted with pixels. On his back were two very powerful, yet unbulky speakers; through which the dubstep was played. He spoke with a vibrating version of Nino’s voice, “Duuuuuude. It took our so called heroes long enough to come find me.” A clocked appeared on his face-screen which spun around quickly.  
  
Cat Noir said, “I’m guessing that’s Nino over there!”  
  
Ladybug shouted, “What!?”  
  
The music was too loud for Ladybug, but not for the villain who said in the third person, “That is not Nino over there. That is Beat Dropper, formerly known as Nino over there.” Beat Dropper had ears that could hear everything without being hurt by the volume and his voice was amplified through the same speakers that played the music. He could talk with them perfectly, but they could hardly to talk to each other.  
  
Beat Dropper put a picture of the earrings and the ring on his face-screen as he said, “Just give me your miraculouses so I can do the rest of your work for you.”  
  
Ladybug said, “Oh, so you are going to stop Hawk Moth for us?!”  
  
“In a way, totally. Once Hawk Moth has what he wants, he’ll chill out. Wouldn’t that be the best?” Beat Dropper put a smiley face on the screan.  
  
Ladybug knew that what Hawk Moth wanted was to bring his wife, Adrien’s mother back. For that reason, she was actually glad that she couldn’t hear what Cat Noir was saying. Not wanting to listen to anymore, Ladybug rushed towards him.  
  
Beat Dropper said, “Honestly, Dudette, I was kind of hopping we could do this the fun way.” Beat Dropper turned up the music and held out all ten fingers. In perfect synchronization with the beat, different colored beams shot from his fingers. At first, Ladybug thought he wasn’t aiming very well, but then the beams each curved to fly at her. She spun her yoyo in circles to block the beams. It worked, but she felt the impact pushing against her defenses. She wouldn’t be able to keep it up all day, but Beat Dropper definitely could.  
  
Cat Noir ran passed her, jumped, and swung at Beat Dropper. Instantly, Beat Dropper conjured a record shaped weapon with glowing rims in each hand. Beat Dropper deflected Cat Noir’s staff with one record and struck him with the other. Beat Dropper hit him a few more times and then he sent his records away in favor of blasting Cat Noir with her finger beams continuously. I was excruciating and Ladybug wasn’t going to just sit there and watch; not even after their previous conversation. She ran at Beat Dropper and attacked. Beat Dropper conjured a record in one hand to fend off Ladybug, but kept shooting Cat Noir with the other. Ladybug was losing her mind, trying to help Cat Noir, only for Beat Dropper to keep blocking her attacks and keep shooting her boyfriend. Beat Dropper swung at Ladybug. She spun as she backed away and threw her yoyo into his helmet, finally taking enough of his concentration to make him stop shooting for a second. Cat Noir wasn’t at a hundred percent, but he found the strength to hit Beat Dropper a few times while he could. Beat Dropper used his hover boots to get some distance between them. Suddenly, a beeping noise came from Beat Dropper’s wrist. Beat Dropper said, “Would you look at the time?! It’s been an hour and our goal has not been reached, so this hospital is going down.” On his face-screen, a hospital crumbled and dissolved into dust.  
  
Beat Dropper was lifted into the air as the music’s tune went higher. He kept shooting, five fingers for each hero. They spun their weapons to deflect the beams; a task that got increasingly difficult. Beat Dropper and the music climbed higher and higher until the music cut out very briefly. Beat Dropped pointed his fist downward and they all heard a robot voice say, “Get ready.” And then the beat drop. When Beat Dropper landed, energy spread in all directions as the music raged much harder than before. An incredibly dense laser shot into both the sky and the hospital. It got wider, destroying the roof they were standing on. Ladybug and Cat Noir tried to run away from the destruction, but it followed them too quickly. The whole hospital collapsed, unable to withstand the heavy onslaught of power that befell it. By the time the storm of energy died down, all was rubble and dust.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Author's Note: Hooray! Everything's miserable again!
> 
> Reader's response: Yay!
> 
> Author's Note: And we haven't even gotten to the real sad part yet. . . . Hm hm hm. . . . He he he he he. . . . LAAAAAAAAA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA!
> 
> Now then. This story is going to have either 13 or 14 chapters in total. So I feel as though the time has come to talk about the future of this account. Obviously there's Disney Princesses: Extermination which is currently getting new chapters each week. I've been writing two fanfictions, but after I finish Miraculous Contempt, I think I'll stick to just one for a little while. I have an unfinished novel (which I hope to get published someday, but not very soon) that I want to work on a bit. I do however think I know what my next-next-next-next-next-next-ne
> 
> (STATIC)
> 
> Hello. This is MVPKnight from the future. When I originally wrote this author's note, I said that my next fanfiction was going to be about RWBY, but I've since changed my mind about that. My next fanfiction will not be about RWBY; in fact, I might never write a RWBY fanfiction. I actually know for sure what my next fanfiction after DPE will be, but now, I find myself not wanting to announce it yet. (Partly because I don't want to repeat what happened when I said RWBY was next and I backed out.) In the original version of this author's note, I said I might one day write a Frozen X Rise of the Guardians spin off of Disney Princesses Extermination; that's still true. I might one day write that. I also expressed that I definitely wanted to write a Spider-Man story; that is also still true. I'm too much of a Spider-Man fan not to write a fanfiction about him. However neither of those stories are going to be my next story. I'll announce the title and fandom for my third fanfiction at some point in an author's note for DPE and I'll probably write an announcement into the last author's note for this story.
> 
> (STATIC)
> 
> One problem I'm facing with choosing which stories to write is that I keep thinking, "Well I'd like to write a story in that fandom, but very few people are going to end up reading it." For instance, Onward. I'm trying to convince myself that even if no one reads them now, people can still read them after they read one of my more popular stories and want to read more from me. Or maybe when I star getting novels published, my fanfictions will be a useful way for new potential readers to see what I can do.
> 
> Thank you for reading and I hope you come back for more of my work. In time, there's going to be a lot of it.


	11. Chapter 11

There was a wall laying on Ladybug from the chest down. On top of that wall was more rubble. She had the physical strength to lift it, but lacked the determination. Little over an hour ago, she felt invincible, but now, the light at the end of the tunnel looked dim. What would happen if she got up? Would things really end happily? If she got out from under the wall, would she be able to defeat Beat Dropper? If she could defeat Beat Dropper, would she be able to defeat Hawk Moth? If she defeated Hawk Moth, would she get Adrien to not hate her? What was she going to do? Adrien had practically demanded that they use the miraculouses to bring back his mother, but she had no idea what would happen if they did. Wasn’t using the miraculouses to make a wish what they were trying to keep Hawk Moth from doing this entire time? Before, she had thought that she was finally about to win. She was on a date with Adrien and she had a plan to find Hawk Moth. But as she laid, looking into the night sky with the wall on top of her, she wondered what she was even fighting for anymore. A dark thought crawled into her mind. “Wouldn’t it just be easier if I died and the Ladybug Miraculous died with me. Hawk Moth would never get his hands on it and I wouldn’t have to decide whether or not to grant Adrien’s wish. Wouldn’t that just be easier?” She knew she was wrong to think that way. There must be a way to know something is true without believing it. She didn’t believe that there was any hope. Cat Noir was the one to give her hope before, but he became the one to make her feel this way so hopeless. Maybe she should just give Adrien what he wants. It’s not like she knew how else to keep him. Ladybug thought, “If only there was a way to use a wish safely.” She leaned her head back and closed her eyes.

She lifted her head and her eyes popped open! There was a way. She thought, “The Snake Miraculous! We can make a wish and if anything goes wrong, we can just go back in time and reverse it! Of course! This isn’t the end. This is what couples do; they get problems and find solutions both people are happy with.” Her face brightened up. She looked at the wall, this time with determination. She put her hands in position and pushed. Of course she would get out from under that wall! Of course she would defeat Beat Dropper! Of course she would defeat Hawk Moth! Hopelessness is, after all, an illusion. The wall rose, slowly yielding to her strength. Ladybug used one hand to hold up the wall and the other to prop herself up. She planted her feet and lifted the wall high enough for her to back up and drop it. It landed with a thunderous crash that spoke of how heavy it was and how she was strong enough to lift it. Ladybug brushed herself off and thought, “Now to find Cat Noir.”

Instead of finding Cat Noir, she heard Beat Dropper’s music as he approached. He must have heard the wall crashing. Ladybug knew she couldn’t defeat him alone, so she hid. When Beat Dropper arrived, he looked clean and undamaged. Ladybug listened to half of a conversation. Beat Dropper said to Hawk Moth, “I totally did not lose the miraculouses. . . . No they’re not. You know how hard it is to kill Ladybug and Cat Noir. I’ll just head to the next hospital and wait for them to show up. I’ll get to raise more money for the school repairs and the heroes will show with battle damage. That’s a win, win. . . . Unless we hit our goal, the next hospital is scheduled to come down in fifty minutes.” A ticking clock appeared on Beat Dropper’s face-screen.

Beat Dropper flew away using his hover shoes. Once Ladybug was sure there was too much distance for even Beat Dropper to hear her, she shouted, “KITTY! Are you out there!?”

She looked around desperately until she heard Cat Noir calling out, “Ladybug!”

“Kitty!”

The two heroes found each other and Ladybug asked, “Are you okay?”

“I’m alright; apart from the fact that my ears keep ringing.”

“Mine too. And I don’t even have enhanced hearing like you. I think we should grab some earplugs. It won’t affect our teamwork because we won’t be able to hear each other anyway.”

“Right.”

Ladybug noticed that he was uneasy. He couldn’t look her in the eyes. Was that guilt that she detected?

Cat Noir said, “Before we go, I wanted say that I shouldn’t have talked to you that way earlier. I’m sorry. But, I can’t pass up my only chance to have my mother back.”

Ladybug said, “Listen. I’ve decided that I will try to help you get your mom back.”

Cat Noir lit up, still retaining a little bit of guilt to keep him from being elated. He asked, “Really!?”

“But you’re going to have to meet me halfway here. Promise me that, if it turns out wrong, you’ll use the Snake Miraculous to undo this.”

Cat Noir had to think. He didn’t want this to be reversible. But he knew that Ladybug was going pretty far out of her comfort zone for him by offering that compromise. Cat Noir said, “Alright. I promise.”

Ladybug smiled at him, glad she had found a solution. Ladybug said, “Now, you grab those earplugs while I search for Beat Dropper. I’ll call you when I know which hospital he’s at.”

“Do you have a plan for when we fight him?”

“Yes.”

“What is it?”

“You’ll see.” Ladybug threw her yoyo, ready to swing away. But then she realized she just practiced a habit she was supposed to kick. She wasn’t facing him, but Cat Noir was no doubt making a disappointed face at her. Ladybug unanchored her yoyo and said nervously, “I mean, let me tell you.” After Ladybug explained her plan, Cat Noir was able to make a suggestion to improve it.

  
They split up. Cat Noir purchased the earplugs and Ladybug found a hospital where dubstep blasted from the roof. Ladybug told Cat Noir where to find her and when they met, they put in the earplugs.

  
Ladybug and Cat Noir landed on the roof. Beat Dropper saw them and said to Hawk Moth, “Told ya so.” An XD appeared on Beat Dropper’s face-screen.  
  
Beat Dropper’s voice was so loud, they could still hear him through their earplugs. However, it didn’t hurt their ears like it did before.  
  
Deep down, Cat Noir was still in emotional confliction over fighting his father. He wanted so badly for Gabriel to not be a monster; to be the good father he had believed him to be. Cat Noir said, “Beat Dropper, you ask Hawk Moth something for me!”  
  
Ladybug didn’t know what Cat Noir was saying, but it seemed important to him, so she didn’t interrupt.  
  
Cat Noir said, “He has a son! How could he do the horrible things he’s done, know that his son might find out or might even get hurt because of him!”  
  
Beat Dropped said, “Hang on. . . . Okay. Hawk Dude wants me to give you a message word for word, so when I say ‘I’, I’m going to me Hawk Dude.” Beat Dropper cleared his throat in preparation while listening and then repeated, “My son wouldn’t understand why my actions are just. He is ungrateful for the life I’ve given him. I constantly strive to keep him safe, yet he insists on spending time with his lowly ‘friends’ who are only after his money. No matter how much I loosen his leash against my better judgment, he always wants more, never satisfied with anything. Like everyone else in this city, Adrien would be better off doing as I say. And if he found out, he should thank me. He should thank me for every decision I made without him because he’s too stupid to know when I’m doing what’s best.”  
  
Cat Noir clenched his fists. He thought through his entire life with a new light shined upon it. This monster ALWAYS kept him caged. He spent his childhood nearly friendless. He was never treated with respect by Gabriel. He had lived his whole life with Gabriel’s boot on his face. And now he knew what Gabriel thought of him. Gabriel might say he sees Adrien as something to be protected. But the truth is, he sees Adrien as something to be controlled. A thought occurred to Cat Noir that he was wrong to still have any love left for his so called “father”. Cat Noir was drained of the emotional confliction. He was filled with . . . CONTEMPT.  
  
Cat Noir said through gritted teeth, “Beat Dropper?”  
  
“Yeah?”  
  
“Tell Hawk Moth . . . I’m going to kill him.”  
  
Beat Dropper spun around while hovering towards them. As he spun, he shot beams of light out of each of his outstretched fingers. The beams curved and came at them from many different directions. The heroes only managed to block about half of the beams. Eventually, Beat Dropper got dizzy and stopped spinning. That was their chance. Cat Noir hit him from the left and Ladybug hit him from the right. Beat Dropper’s strategy backfired. He wouldn’t be doing that again. Beat Dropper conjured his records and fought off their attacks. Each of the heroes were about to unleash a powerful strike. Seeing them both coming, Beat Dropper hovered upward. Ladybug and Cat Noir were coming towards each other with their attacks. They couldn’t stop, so they did something better. Cat Noir ducked and Ladybug jumped. In a split second, Ladybug had an idea. As she flew over Cat Noir, she grabbed his hand and threw him at Beat Dropper who was floating over them. In the air, Cat Noir caught Beat Dropper off guard. He hit Beat Dropper multiple times and threw him back down to the floor.  
  
Ladybug ran toward Beat Dropper. He shot five beams at her. As she ran, she waited for the perfect moment. She jumped. She just barely flew over the beams which tried to redirect towards her, but failed. Beat Dropper was about to fire again, but as Ladybug flew, she threw her yoyo, hitting him in the head and preventing his next attack. She landed, ran the rest of the distance with her fist cocked. By the time Beat Dropper had recovered, it was too late. Ladybug’s fist smashed through his face-screen and exposing his regular face underneath as bits of glass decorated the air.  
  
Wanting to wrap this up, Ladybug summoned a “Lucky Charm!” What fell into her hand was, “A clipboard.” The clipboard had written on it, “Rule number one” and after that it had written over a line, “Ladybug and Cat Noir trust each other.” Below that, it said, “Rule number two,” and there was a line waiting to be written over. It was a sign. What should be rule number two?  
  
Beat Dropper said in frustration, “Forget waiting until the hour is up! This all coming down now!” Beat Dropper shot at them as he rose with the beat. It was almost time for Ladybug to enact her plan. She would have one shot at this, but Beat Dropper wouldn’t expect her to attempt it. The music stopped. Beat Dropper pointed his fist downward and the robot voice said, same as last time, “Get ready.” Ladybug put her foot on Cat Noir’s staff. When it extended, it propelled her towards the falling Beat Dropper. When they collided, Ladybug moved Beat Dropper’s fist out of the way and plunged her knee into his stomach. From there, she lifted her fists and slammed them against the speakers on Beat Dropper’s back, releasing the akuma. She jumped off of Beat Dropper and purified the akuma in midair. He changed back into Nino as he fell and was caught by Cat Noir. Ladybug threw the clipboard into the sky and shouted, “Miraculous Ladybug!” The other hospital was restored, the wounded police officers were healed, the police cars were repaired, and the ringing in their ears stopped.  
  
Cat Noir told Nino, “Listen, we appreciate that you want to help repair the school, but Ladybug and I have it covered. We’re really close to finding Hawk Moth. It’s not going to be much longer.”  
  
Nino said excitedly, “Really?! That’s the best news I’ve heard since dubstep was invented!”  
  
Ladybug said, “Now, we should get going.” She looked at her partner and said, “Cat Noir and I have plans.”

  
Hawk Moth bowed his head in the wake of yet another defeat. He couldn’t take it anymore. He said solemnly, “Nathalie, the ending is drawing near.”  
  
Nathalie, “Do you have a new plan, Sir?”  
  
“I do. For years, I’ve throw tried countless times, hitting them with whatever I could think of. But I still have one last trick up my sleeves.”  
  
“What is it?”  
  
And then he told her.  
  
Nathalie said aghast, “But, Sir . . . you won’t be able to control them all! There’s no telling what they’ll do.”  
  
“My desperation has reached its peak. I don’t care what it costs, I will have their miraculouses.” Hawk Moth said as if they could hear him, “Get ready, ‘heroes,’ for another battle . . . one last time.”

  
Tikki shouted, “Marinette, this isn’t safe!”  
  
“Yes, it is. If anything goes wrong, Adrien will turn back time so it never happened.”  
  
Tikki said, “You’re assuming that Adrien will keep his word. Wouldn’t it be better if you were the one to decide if it gets undone?”  
  
Marinette said, “No. Adrien needs to see what happens. If I just tell him something went wrong, he’ll always wonder if I was lying.”  
  
“I understand that you’re trying to be careful, but don’t forget what was written on that Lucky Charm. What do you think rule number two should be?”  
  
Marinette started getting nervous. She shook her head and said, “I don’t know, but I’m following rule number one.”  
  
Marinette and Adrien met in his room after they were sure her parents were asleep. Marinette’s mind rang with the question; what should rule number two be? The weather wasn’t helping her worried mood. It was storming outside. The rain roared at them and the lightning kept startling her.  
  
Adrien said, “Marinette, before we start, I wanted to thank you. I’m starting to feel like everything is going to be all right. I used to lie to myself about how bad my father was. But thanks to you, I see him for the monster he is. And the fact that I can’t communicate with him doesn’t make me sad anymore. I used to be trapped in a house with a horrible father, lonely, and separated from the parent that actually cared about me. But thanks to you, I’m dating the girl of my dreams, I’m about to be rid of Gabriel, and I’m about to have my mother back.”  
  
Marinette’s heart melted, though she thought it was strange for Adrien to be so happy about getting rid of his father. She told him, “I’m happy to help you, Adrien.”  
  
Adrien asked, “Are you ready?”  
  
She nodded and handed Adrien the Snake Miraculous. After he transformed, Adrien held out the Cat Miraculous and waited for her to take it. She reached out, but stopped. What should rule number two be? She said, “Adrien, I’m putting a lot of trust in you.”  
  
“I know.”  
  
“Seriously, Adrien. You . . . I know you wouldn’t, but please, just so I can hear it . . . tell me you won’t take advantage of me.”  
  
Adrien looked her in the eyes and said, “I promise you, I won’t take advantage of you.”  
  
Marinette nodded and took the Cat Miraculous with her shaking hand. Just as agreed, Adrien activated the “Second Chance.” Marinette held the ring in place and slowly moved her finger toward it. WHAT! SHOULD! RULE! NUMBER! TWO! BE!? The ring was on her finger and she froze. One eye was pitch black and the other glowed bright red. Adrien didn’t see what she saw. He just saw her stand completely still. “Muh Lady?”  
  
Then her eyes went back to normal and she could move again.  
  
“What happened?”  
  
Marinette whispered, “I made a wish.”  
  
To their side, red and black ribbons of magic flickered and then they appeared to be gone.  
  
Adrien whispered, “Come on.”  
  
The ribbons reappeared and drifted around until they went away again.  
  
“Come on.”  
  
The ribbons came again and stayed this time. They swirled around in circles. They gathered in a spinning swarm that eventually and slowly unraveled, revealing HER underneath.  
  
“Mother?”  
  
“Adrien? What’s going on?”  
  
Adrien broke into tears of joy. He said, “Mother!” He ran to her and wrapped her in a tight hug.  
  
“Adrien, why are you where that costume?”  
  
“It doesn’t matter. All that matters is that your back.”  
  
“Back?” And then she remembered. She knew that she had gone to sleep because of the Peacock Miraculous. She started crying, realizing that her son had gone some time without her. She wrapped her arms around him and held him tight.  
  
Marinette’s heart warmed at the sight. She was so happy for Adrien to have his mother back. She had been feeling a lot of things. She was so nervous a moment ago and then she became so happy. With all that emotion and excitement, she had no idea how she suddenly felt sleepy.  
  
Adrien’s mother said, “I’m not going anywhere this time. I swear.”  
  
Adrien’s heart was overflowing. He had never been so happy. For so long he had been held down by the rules. Rules kept him from knowing the identity of the woman he loved. Rules kept him from reuniting with his mother. But now, he had broken these rules. He had to learn a lesson that day. He learned that some rules are made for a reason.  
  
There was a sound of slamming and groaning. Adrien turned around and saw Marinette with one hand that had been slammed onto the desk for support and one hand on her head. Her eyes were squeezed shut and her teeth were gritted in pain. Adrien asked, “Marinette, what’s wrong?!”  
  
She said, trying to stay strong, “I’m alright. I just have a really bad head ache.”  
  
Head ache.  
  
No.  
  
She fell to the floor.  
  
“MARINETTE!” Adrien ran to her. “STAY AWAKE, MARINETTE! PLEASE!”  
  
He kneeled at her side and grabbed her hand. She looked at him with eyes she could barely keep open. This wasn’t fair. It wasn’t fair for Adrien to lose someone else. It wasn’t fair for Marinette to have to pay the price. Adrien felt like he was becoming a corpse. The life was being squeezed out of him. He knew that he had a promise to keep. She had trusted him. He couldn’t betray that trust. He couldn’t live with himself knowing what he did to Marinette. This was the most painful thing he ever had to do. He took one more look at his mother and said in agony, “I’m sorry.” And then he flipped the switch on the Snake Miraculous.

  
Marinette held the ring in place and slowly moved her finger toward it. “No!” Adrien shouted as he ripped the Cat Miraculous out of her hand. “No! Don’t do it!”  
  
Adrien franticly took off the Snake Miraculous and put the Cat Miraculous onto his own finger. He put his hands over his eyes and cried miserably.  
  
Marinette asked with much concern, “Adrien, what happened?!”  
  
Adrien opened his mouth, but the answer hurt too much to say. Instead, he wailed even harder. He walked passed her and hurried out of his room. She followed him and repeatedly said his name as Adrien rushed to the front door. He whipped it open and walked outside into the storm. Marinette was going to follow him, but she sure to grab an umbrella first; they would both need it. Adrien walked down the steppes, fell to his knees, and screamed with the pain of hell. Marinette rushed to his side and fell to her knees, not because she was in pain, but to try to comfort him. As Marinette held the umbrella over their heads and put a hand on his back, Adrien let out another scream, not satisfied by the first. Marinette held him tight and said, “Adrien, I’ve got you. I’ve got you.”  
  
The rain poured on them hard as he cried in her arms. The wind assaulted their faces and the thunder cracked threateningly. But Adrien wouldn’t go inside and Marinette wouldn’t leave him alone.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Author's Note: I know, I know. Bringing back Adrien's mom isn't the most original concept to tackle in a Miraculous fanfiction. But I wanted Miraculous Contempt to be a full resolution of the story and having Adrien bring up the idea of doing this feels like something that has to happen before the story ends. I haven't read any fanfictions where it happens like this though. I hope that Adrien using the Snake Miraculous to undo it and tearing his heart out in the process brought some freshness.  
> This story is getting a little bit close to the end, so I'm running out of opportunities to ask you to read Disney Princesses: Extermination.  
> SO I'LL HAVE TO MILK THEM FOR ALL THEY'RE WORTH!  
> I've been pouring my heart and soul into DPE. It's really good, you guys. I've been trying to write it in a way where you're not lost if you haven't watched every single movie. And, in case you're wondering if it was, it's not about the princesses having a picnic and talking about fashion and flowers. It has huge stakes! It has violent action! It has a villain who's motivation is based off a misguided desire to do what she thinks is right combined with decades of frustration that comes from a world that's troubled despite her previous methods.  
> Read Disney Princesses: Extermination!  
> Thank you for reading and I hope you come back for more of my work.


	12. Chapter 12

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Author's Note: What do you call the opposite of a content warning? A content don't worry? Or perhaps a content don't get your hopes up. What I'm saying is, there's going to be a scene that looks like it might get M rated, but it doesn't actually get very graphic.  
> Now, it's time to get to the story.  
> .  
> .  
> .  
> .  
> .  
> .  
> .  
> .  
> SYKE! We're gonna talk about Disney Princesses: Extermination!  
> If you've been enjoying Miraculous Contempt, let me tell you something. For the past few days, I've had trouble concentrating on Miraculous Contempt because I've been more excited about writing Disney Princesses: Extermination. (Good thing a had more Miraculous Contempt saved up so I can still upload every week.) Think about everything that's happened in this story. Now, think about how Disney Princesses: Extermination is the project that has me MORE excited.  
> Okay, now we can get to the story.

The storm had been reduced to a light rain. As they sat on the stairs, Adrien kept his crossed arms leaning on his knees and Marinette still held the umbrella over their heads. Having heard what Adrien saw, Marinette looked at him, speechless, but only for a few seconds. Finally she said slowly, “You did that for me? Adrien, thank you.”

Adrien said, “It wouldn’t have been fair to let you go to sleep forever in her place. However happened to her, it wasn’t your fault. And I couldn’t take advantage of you like that. Especially when you tried to help me after I was such a jerk to you.”

“You weren’t a jerk.”

“I basically twisted your arm for this. I told you that you ‘owed this to me’. I had no right to pressure you like that. I’m so sorry, Marinette. I should’ve taken ‘no’ for an answer.”

Marinette wanted to tell him that he didn’t hurt her. But she knew she shouldn’t lie to him. Instead she said honestly, “I forgive you. And I don’t blame you for being so hard to argue with. I mean, it was your mother.”

They sat in silence until Adrien said, “Maybe we should head inside now.”

Marinette said in explosive relief, “Thank you so much! I’m dying out here!”

  
They returned to Adrien’s room where he blew his nose a few times and Marinette said, “We should probably get some sleep.  
  
Adrien seemed unsure as he said, “Um, yeah. We probably should.”  
  
Marinette said tenderly, “Unless you need me to stay a little longer.”  
  
Adrien started getting anxious. He was thinking about something that clearly had his breath and heart sped up and made him a little shaky. But he decided against . . . something . . . and said, “No, we should get some sleep.”  
  
Marinette wasn’t sure what was going on in his head, but she said, “Okay. Goodnight, Adrien.”  
  
“Goodnight. Do you remember the way to your room?”  
  
“I remember. Thanks.”  
  
Marinette walked out the door and closed it behind her. She was full of the aftermath of combined emotions and fading adrenaline. She was relieved that all she had to do was go to sleep. She took a few steppes, but then the door swung open again. Marinette spun around to see Adrien who said, “Tikki, Plagg, could you give us some time alone?”  
  
Tikki said, “Sure.”  
  
Adrien told them, “You two can go to the other, other guest rooms and you can just go to sleep whenever.”  
  
They can go to sleep while they leave Adrien and Marinette alone? What was Adrien planning?  
  
The kwamis flew away and Adrien took Marinette’s hand, leading her back into his room. He closed the door, grabbed her face, and started kissing her. Marinette wanted to just be happy about kissing him, but she had a feeling that this was going somewhere she was ready for. She let him kiss her anyway. She even put her hands on the sides of his waist. He kissed her harder. She wanted to just enjoy it. But then he picked her up by her thighs and carried her to his bed. No way to doubt it now. This was going somewhere she wasn’t ready for. He kept kissing her while laying on top of her. She wanted tell him to stop. She was scared. Adrien could feel her trembling, but he thought she was just a little nervous. He had no idea he was making her so uncomfortable. Marinette’s stomach was in knots. She didn’t want to go any further, but she didn’t want disappoint her boyfriend. Marinette wished hopelessly that Adrien would back out of this so she wouldn’t have to. Adrien sat up and took off his button up shirt off. He wasn’t going to be the one to back out of this. Marinette starting feeling like she was obligated. Like this was expected from someone in a romantic relationship, and if she wanted have one, she had to ‘get with the program’. To make things more freighting, she knew that if Adrien wanted to, he could find a different girlfriend who wasn’t so squeamish. Adrien held her hands and helped her sit up. From there, he continued kissing Marinette while he took her jacket off of her. In desperation for everything to be alright, she tried convincing herself that she should be happy about this; that failed to make her feel any better, of course. Adrien reached down, grabbed the bottom of her t-shirt and started lifting. Marinette had to be brave. She didn’t know what the consequences would be, but she had to be brave. She didn’t know if anything would be the same afterward, but she had to be brave. She had to be brave enough to say ‘no’ to her boyfriend. Marinette grabbed Adrien’s wrists to stop him from lifting her shirt any higher, pulled her lips away from his, and said, “I’m not ready!”  
  
Adrien pulled his hands away and got off her immediately. He said sporadically, “I’m sorry! I . . . I didn’t mean to . . . Marinette, I promise I’d never force you into that.”  
  
He was apologizing to her? Marinette clutched her chest and sighed heavily with relief. She thought he might be mad, but he wasn’t. He was sorry he made her uncomfortable. Adrien told her exactly what she needed to hear. But she still wasn’t a completely sure everything was okay. Marinette asked meekly, “Are you . . . disappointed?”  
  
Adrien shook his head said desperate to make his message clear, “NO! No, I’m glad that you stopped me. I’m so sorry, Marinette.”  
  
The last of her fear was ripped out of Marinette’s chest. He wasn’t upset with her; in truth, he would have had to be a garbage boyfriend to be mad at her about this. Marinette said, “It’s okay, Adrien.” Marinette took a moment, trying to calm her racing heart before she said, “Adrien, thank you for being so understanding.”  
  
“Of course I understand. You don’t have to do . . . that if you don’t want to. You had everything right to say ‘no’.”  
  
“Adrien, I hope you didn’t get the wrong idea.”  
  
“What do you mean?”  
  
“I hope you didn’t think that it was because it was you.” Marinette put her hand on his and said, “Adrien, I love you. If it were anyone else, I still would have wanted to back out. I’m just not ready. That doesn’t mean I love you any less.”  
  
Adrien said, “I know. We’re both not ready, really. I wasn’t thinking clearly and I got carried away.”  
  
Marinette knew that another reason was that he needed a bit of comfort from her after everything he’d been through. Marinette got up off the bed and said, “You know, I do know something we are ready for.”  
  
Marinette turned on some music. Something slow and romantic. She stood where there was plenty of space and she beckoned for Adrien to come to her. Adrien approached her, he put his hands on her waist while she put her arms around the back of his neck, and they danced. This was what Adrien really needed. She was his solace. She was the light at the end of his darkness. Marinette rested her head against his chest. As they kept dancing, Marinette thought, “There may have been a few complications, but all things considered, I think I did pretty well on our first date.”

  
The next morning, after Adrien and Marinette had gotten a good night’s sleep in separate beds, Marinette said to Tikki, “You weren’t giving Adrien enough credit, you know. He really came through for me last night.”  
  
Tikki said, “Alright, maybe he did, but you’re still not being carful enough. Things aren’t supposed to be this way, Marinette. You just keep going further away from what Master Fu taught you. You two shouldn’t even know each other’s identities.”  
  
Marinette wanted to smack her into the next room, but she contained her anger a little bit and instead said, “Tikki, I know you want what’s best for me, but . . .”  
  
Tikki interrupted, “Yes and . . .”  
  
Marinette interrupted right back, “But you don’t know what’s best for me, I need you to recognize that!”  
  
“What?”  
  
“Tikki, you’re still living by the foolish teachings of a foolish fool who was so foolish he accidentally destroyed the order of fools who taught that fool to be so foolish. Knowing each other’s identities has made us a better team, disproving what Fu always taught us. After Adrien has been so trust worthy and keeps rewarding my trust, you still think I should be distrusting. You still think I should have kept him in the dark and assumed the worst of him. Tikki, wake up!”  
  
Tikki lowered her head somberly. She said, “Alright. Adrien has earned your trust.”

  
Adrien had been thinking; he had put Marinette through a lot recently. He had been harsh with Ladybug about the secret, he dropped that “I thought what we had was better than ‘normal’” line on her, he practically demanded that they use the miraculouses to make a wish when she thought it was a bad idea, and he almost pressured her into . . .  
  
Adrien face palmed in guilt. He shouldn’t have been so impulsive. And if he was so sure he wanted to do something like that, he probably should have talked with her about it first. He felt so stupid. And he all the while, Marinette had been doing so much for him. She showed him her secret identity, tried to bring his mother back, was understanding of his impulsive decisions and was constantly, constantly a rock for him to hold on to in his moments of emotional turmoil. A horrible thought came to him. He wondered if he was a terrible boyfriend. He wanted to make it up to her.

  
Adrien found her and said with a bit of embarrassment, “Hey, Marinette. I was wondering, since things didn’t go quit as planned last night, if you’d like to try again before we find Lila. No rule breaking demands this time, I promise.”  
  
Marinette said, “That sounds great.” Marinette considered saying, “Especially that last part,” but she decided against it. She did however say, “Just make sure we’re done on time.”  
  
“Of course, muh Lady. Today can be whatever you like.”  
  
After saying their goodbyes to Marinette’s parents, Adrien held the door open for Marinette and let her go first. It was a small gesture, but she appreciated his chivalry.

  
The first thing they did was go on a romantic boat ride. Adrien kept his arm around her the whole time. Adrien had offered a hand to help get in and at the end, he offered her his hand to help her get out.  
  
As they left, they were approached by an excited teenage girl who asked, “Are you Adrien Agreste?”  
  
“That’s me,” he said sheepishly.  
  
“Holy crap, holy crap, holy crap! If it’s not too much trouble, could I have your autograph?” She held out a note book and a pen eagerly.  
  
Adrien said, “Sure,” and wrote his autograph on the desired place. Not wanting Marinette to feel left out, he to his fan, “You know, Marinette designed a cover for a Jagged Stone album, she made the feather hat I wore at a fashion show, and she’s probably going to make it big as a fashion designer someday. Maybe you’d like her autograph too.”  
  
Marinette blushed at him hyping her up.  
  
The fan said, “Really? Sure.”  
  
Marinette shyly gave her autograph and the fan left satisfied by the interaction.  
  
Marinette asked, “You really think I’m gonna make it big?”  
  
Adrien said, “I have no doubts about it.”  
  
Marinette gave him a quick kiss for saying such things.  
  
Next, they transformed into Ladybug and Cat Noir and got to the top of the tallest building around, where they rocked out to Jagged Stone’s music, not bothered by how progressively stupid their dance moves became as they went. Eventually, Ladybug challenged Cat Noir to a race from where they stood to the Eifel Tower. Cat Noir just barely got there before her, but whether or not Ladybug let him win, he would never be sure.  
  
Next, they visited the museum as Marinette and Adrien. As they went, they showed off historical facts they knew about the pieces of art, or made jokes about the stranger ones.  
  
Next, Adrien considered buying Marinette a flower. But then he got a better idea. He took her to a video game store and told her she could pick out any game she wanted. She chose one, but before they got to the check out, Adrien noticed a ladybug themed controller and decided to buy both items for her.  
  
Then they returned to Adrien’s house. Adrien said, “That was fun; wasn’t it?”  
  
Marinette said, elated, “Are you kidding? I’ve never had so much fun! Best day ever.” Marinette looked at Adrien dreamily and said, “I can’t believe I get to date you.”  
Adrien asked, “You still feel lucky to be with me?”  
  
“Of course. Why wouldn’t I?”  
  
“Well, I mean . . . I’ve kind of made things hard for you recently and . . .”  
  
Much to Adrien’s befuddlement, Marinette started giggling. She said, “Look at us. Me, beating myself up for things you’ve forgiven. You, beating yourself up for things I’ve forgiven.”  
  
Adrien smiled, feeling a huge weight lifting off his shoulders.  
  
Marinette asked, “Why is it easier to forgive each other than ourselves.”  
  
“Maybe it would be easier to think of it this way. Forgive yourself as a favor to me.”  
  
Marinette said happily, “Maybe you could do the same for me.”  
  
“It’s a deal.”

  
Hawk Moth had been keeping busy. In his other secret hide out, he had four people tied to in chairs in a circle. Kim, Wayhem, Sabrina, and Chloe. They had scars all over their faces. Their clothes were bloody. They had been tortured to maximize their negative emotion. Hawk Moth could still do a lot of damage even with his arm broken and in a cast. Chloe said with a voice hoarse from screaming, “Why are you doing this?”  
  
Hawk Moth said, “To gain the power of the Miraculouses of course.”  
  
Chloe asked, “If you won’t a bunch of super villains, why don’t you just become Scarlet Moth again?”  
  
“Because then the army of villains would be held back by weaker links. The four of you have been carefully selected to be my Elites.”  
  
Nathalie, who was wearing a mask at the time, looked at their tortured bodies and asked Hawk Moth, “Sir, don’t you think this has gone a little too far?”  
  
Hawk Moth shouted, “Do I have the miraculouses?!”  
  
“No.”  
  
“THEN IT HASN’T GONE FAR ENOUGH!”  
  
Hawk Moth adjusted their chairs so that they were all within arm’s reach of a table with a chess set on it. He then cut one of each of their arms free and said, “Everyone place your hands upon the chess set.”  
  
Chloe asked defiantly, “And why should we do that?”  
  
“Because your hands can either grab the chess set or be cut off.”  
  
Shrinking down in her chair, Chloe did as she was told. In time, they all did. Hawk Moth sent an akuma into the chess set and turned them all into super villains. This time, they had more negative emotion and thus more power.  
  
Kim changed into Dark Ares. He had no wings, but he was able to fly without them. His outfit was dark grey with glowing orange highlight in various places. On his left forearm was a crossbow and on his back was a hammer.  
  
Wayhem changed into Funeral Crasher. He wore a dark suit with the addition of a hood. His hands were covered by purple orbs.  
  
Sabrina changed into Miracle Breaker. She was clothed in tights that were mostly pink but held many miraculous symbols. This time she had Lucky Charm, Cataclysm, Shelter, Mirage, and Venom.  
  
Chloe changed into Cruelty Queen. A red jacket over a black tank top. Her jeans and makeup were a matching red while her gloves and hair were a matching black. On each of her of her hips was a hand gun. Wrapped separately round each of her limbs were red chains.  
  
Four of the more dangerous villains had been brought to new levels of power. BUT WAIT! THERE’S MOOOOOORE!  
  
Cruelty Queen asked, “What are our orders, Hawk Moth.”  
  
Hawk Moth said, “Just . . . watch.” Hawk Moth smashed the chess set and the akuma flew back out. The four elite villains changed back into normal people.  
  
Not remembering him being the one to break the chess set, Sabrina asked, “What happened? Did Ladybug and Cat Noir save us?”  
  
Hawk Moth said, “Ladybug and Cat Noir won’t be saving you. There about to have far more pressing matters to attend to.” As the akuma flew out the window, Hawk Moth continued, “Tell me, do any of you remember what happened the last time Ladybug failed to purify an akuma?”  
  
The akuma flew to the top of the Eifel Tower and burst into a swarm of akumas that spread as a plague across Paris.

  
Adrien, Marinette, Tom, and Sabine looked out the window at the dark spectacle of akumas. Marinette said, “We have to go.” She told her parents, “Stay here. Adrien and I have to . . .”  
  
Tom stood in front of the door and said, “I can’t let you two go out into that!”  
  
Sabine said, “It’s too dangerous!”  
  
Marinette pleaded, “We have to. Trust me.”  
  
Tom asked, “Why do you need to go out there so badly.”  
  
Marinette said, “Because . . . because . . . We need to make sure our friends are okay.”  
  
Sabine said, “I’m sorry, Marinette, but there’s nothing you can do for them. The best thing for you to do is stay here.”  
  
Marinette said, “No, they . . . they need us. Just please let us go!”  
  
Tom said, “I can’t do that.”  
  
Marinette was desperate. She knew that there was about to be hundreds of super villains out there and she didn’t have time for this. At first, she thought about trying to sneak out of the house, but she knew that her parents would try to keep her close at all times and even if she could pull it off, it would take too long. There was a quicker way. Adrien nodded, knowing what she was thinking by the way she was looking at him. Marinette took a breath and said, “Tikki, spots on.”  
  
Tom and Sabine stared speechlessly at Ladybug. They couldn’t handle the revelation that their daughter was Ladybug. They were so shocked, they could barely move.  
  
Tom said, “Marinette?”  
  
Sabine asked, “You’re Ladybug?”  
  
Adrien said, “Plagg, claws out,” leading to a little more astonishment.  
  
Ladybug told them, “I’ll explain everything later! I need to get out there now!”  
  
Tom hesitantly moved aside.  
  
Ladybug and Cat Noir ran out into the last day of their war against Hawk Moth.

  
Akumas landed on terrified citizens who failed to run fast enough, transforming them in duplicates of the four Elites. A cruelty queen pointed her hand at a civilian, causing red chains to materialize around him. The cruelty queen lifted her hand and the civilian was raised into the path an akuma where he was changed into a funeral crasher.  
  
Cat Noir said to Ladybug, “We’re outnumbered, we’re out gunned. But we have something they don’t.”  
  
“What’s that?”  
  
And then he gave her an answer to that question that could only come from Cat Noir. “We have destiny.”  
  
Ladybug took a second to let that sentence sink in before she started chuckling. “Silly Kitty.”  
  
Ladybug ran at the cruelty queen. The chains around the cruelty queen’s arms extended and sharp hooks formed at the end of the chains. The cruelty queen swung her chains rapidly, easily able to defend against Ladybug’s one weapon and counterattack at the same time. The cruelty queen slashed at Ladybug several times, proving to be more dangerous than Ladybug anticipated. These duplicates weren’t as powerful as their Elite originals would have been. But still.  
  
Cat Noir leaped at the cruelty queen, but when he tried to strike . . . “Shelter!” Cat Noir struck a green force field that protected her. The cruelty queen drew her handguns, pointed one at each hero, and as soon as the force field dropped, she shot at them both. Instead of the “bew-bews” they came to expect, the guns cracked with the hard sound of exploding gun powder. They each deflected the bullets, but doing so prevented them from seeing something else coming.  
  
A giant, purple hand made of ghostly energy grabbed Cat Noir and pulled him away. The hand sucked him into the orb of a funeral crasher.  
  
Ladybug shouted in a freaked out, “CAT NOIR!”  
  
Ladybug ran through in line of fire, avoiding bullets and beans shot from the funeral crasher. She slid between the funeral crasher’s legs and stood up behind him. Ladybug prayed, “Please, let this work!” Ladybug grabbed the funeral crasher and threw him into the air. Ladybug wrapped her yoyo string around the funeral crasher’s neck and yanked his head into a collision with the concrete, knocking him out. The orbs around the funeral crasher’s hands broke and Cat Noir reappeared right next to them. Ladybug sighed with relief, knowing she wouldn’t have been able win this without Cat Noir.  
  
In the distance, a dark ares hit a car with his hammer, sending it flying towards them. Ladybug and Cat Noir ducked in time and the car crashed into a store-window after passing above their heads. The dark ares hovered in the air and shot at them with the crossbow on his arm, missing every time. Ladybug tried running towards the dark ares, but then red chains wrapped around her. She was able to rip the chains apart, but it was too late. The dark ares shot her with one of his arrows, filling her with hatred and a lust for war. Cat Noir knew just what to do. He grabbed her shoulder, spun her around, and quickly smashed his lips against hers, breaking the spell before she could attack him.  
  
They had only been out there for a few minutes and they almost lost twice.  
  
They heard a voice say, “Venom!” and they turned their heads to see a miracle breaker running at Ladybug with a stinger on her hand. Cat Noir tripped her with his staff, sending her stumbling into being grabbed by Ladybug and thrown at the cruelty queen. The miracle breaker accidentally struck the cruelty queen, stinging her and paralyzing her.  
  
The dark ares lifted his hammer and flew down, about to hit Cat Noir. Ladybug wrapped her yoyo around the hammer and pulled, causing the hammer to land right next to Cat Noir and not on him. Cat Noir quickly hit the dark ares many times. When Cat noir was finished, the dark ares wouldn’t get back up.  
  
The miracle breaker said, “Lucky Charm,” and was gifted with a rocket launcher.  
  
Cat Noir told Ladybug, “Duck.”  
  
When the miracle breaker fired the RPG, Cat Noir extended his staff and, from a distance, smacked the RPG off course, resulting in a car exploding in their stead.  
  
The miracle breaker said, “Lucky . . .” but was cut short by a baton ricocheting off her head. Ladybug wrapped her yoyo string around the miracle breaker’s waist and pulled her into a collision with Ladybug’s fist. The miracle breaker was momentarily suspended off the ground with her torso wrapped around Ladybug’s fist until Cat Noir hit her in the head with his staff.  
  
Ladybug said, “All that and we only have four down.”  
  
Cat Noir said optimistically, “They probably won’t all be that bad.”  
  
Five more villains appeared, showing them the truth. Each of them was another of what they had just fought. There was another dark ares, another miracle breaker, another funeral crasher, and two more cruelty queens. Ladybug and Cat Noir said with dread at the same time, “There all that bad.”  
  
Ladybug said, “This isn’t going to work. We need to find Lila now.”  
  
Cat Noir said, “Do you think she’s already back home by now?” They had been told she would be back at night, but it was in the afternoon.  
  
“She has to be. I need you to find her and get her to tell you were Hawk Moth is hiding while I assemble the other miraculous holders. I’ll meet you at the Eifel Tower.”  
  
“Got it!”  
  
And so they split up to their respective tasks. As they went, they kept finding villains, but they couldn’t stop to fight for longer than they had to. Often, they would fend off an attack and escape as quickly as they could. All around them, they saw villain rampaging, vandalizing, and destroying with more ferocity than monsters and less reason than animals. This gave them incentive to hurry.


	13. Chapter 13

Cat Noir made it to Lila’s apartment. With no time to knock, Cat Noir smashed through the window. He pointed at Lila and shouted, “I know you’re working with Hawk Moth.”

Frightened to the point of trembling, Lila said, “I don’t know what you’re talking about!”

“Stop lying! Have you not looked out the window? Do you not know that the city is crumbling while sit there, pretending to be innocent? Tell me where he’s hiding!”  
  
Lila insisted, “Look, I have never worked with Hawk Moth. Sure I’ve done a few wrong things here and there, but I’m not some super criminal. Why does everyone assume the worst from me?”

Cat Noir grabbed her arm and pulled her to the window, giving her a good look at the chaos, smoke, and, in some cases, crumbled building. Cat Noir shouted, “People are getting hurt! Paris is dying and if you don’t tell the truth, we might not be able to fix it!”

Lila screamed, “You’re scarring me! Stop it!”

Cat Noir looked her in the eyes, fury filling his stare. Eventually, he said, “Fine; don’t do it because it’s the right thing to do. Just like everything else, do it because it’s the selfish thing to do. If this continues, you’re going to die . . . if you’re lucky. There’s so many worse thing that can happen to you today. You might be changed into a mindless copy of someone else forever. You might end up without a home in a city that’s fallen to madness. You might lose your mother and grow up alone. Tell me where he is, or your life as you know it will end.”

Lila was terrified. Finally, she cracked and said in defeat, “Hawk Moth is hiding in an abandoned warehouse. Let me write down the directions to get there.”

Cat Noir thought, “I knew that would work.”

  
Ladybug opened the window of Alya’s apartment. Inside, she found, not only Alya and her family, but also Nino and Juleka.  
  
Alya pretended to be oblivious. “Ladybug? Whatever could you be doing here?”  
  
Ladybug said, “There’s no need nor time to keep up appearances. I need you two to become Carapace and Rina Rouge.”  
  
“But . . .” Alya sighed, flustered about talking about this in front of everyone and begrudgingly said, “But I thought it was too dangerous now that Hawk Moth knows our identities.”  
  
Ladybug explained, “After tonight, it won’t matter. We’re going to take down Hawk Moth.”  
  
“What? How?”  
  
Alya’s father asked, “You’re Rina Rouge?”  
  
Alya nervously let out a fake laugh and said uncomfortably, “Surprise.”  
  
Nino confidently bragged, “And don’t forget that I’m Carapace. Kind of makes me better son in law material, doesn’t it?”  
  
Ladybug handed Nino and Alya their miraculouses and told them, “We have a lead on finding out where he is. But I’m going to need all of . . .” Ladybug’s speech was stopped by the appearance of red chains forming around her. Ladybug flew backwards and smashed her way out the window.  
  
In panic, Alya and Nino quickly transformed and jumped out to help her. Alya’s family rushed to the window. So did Juleka. As the heroes and villains fought outside, the family kept their attention on Nino Rouge, but Juleka noticed something they didn’t. Juleka saw a box that held a miraculous laying on the ground. Ladybug most have dropped it.  
  
Juleka put her back against the wall, hiding from the sight she had found. She was terrified. Even scarier than the danger was the idea that she might have a way to get involved in it. Stepping up was always hard for her. Then she realized she was sick of that. She was sick of not doing anything and being stuck in her shell. Juleka looked at the door, trying to commit to a decision. She breathed heavily and trembled. Juleka thought, “Just do it,” but she didn’t move. She thought again, “Come on. Just do it.” She still didn’t move. Juleka thought, “Maybe I need to get more motivated. Come on, Juleka, if you stand there and do nothing, people are going to get hurt. People like Rose.” Juleka gasped as her heart rate jumped. “Rose.” Juleka would never be able to forgive herself if something happened to Rose and she did nothing to help stop it. Suddenly, the idea of doing nothing was much more terrifying. Juleka looked at the door with new found commitment and she ran. Alya’s mother shouted for her to stop, but she kept going.  
  
Juleka ran into the battlefield. Chaos erupted all around as heroes fought villains. Juleka hid behind a car. Peeking out from the side, she could see the box on the other side of the street. She waited until the path was clear and she sprang out of her hiding place. She had to move fast. If she was too slow, anyone of the villains could strike her down. If didn’t get there in time, someone else could snatch up the miraculous.  
  
SHE GOT IT!  
  
Now what?  
  
Juleka opened the box and grabbed the bracelet inside. With a flash of light, a purple kwami appeared. This did not go on noticed. Everyone looked at Juleka as she put the bracelet on. A cruelty queen willed red chains to wrap around Juleka and lift her into the air. The kwami shouted, “Quick! Say, ‘Roaar, unleash fury!’”  
  
Juleka shouted, “Roaar, unleash fury!”  
  
The red chains shattered as she ignited.  
  
Juleka’s fingerless gloves expanded, becoming gauntlets with extendable claws on the forearms. Her pants and shirt became purple tights with black stripes. Her shoulders and midriff were exposed, showing the tiger-stripes on her skin. She moved a hand over her face from right to left, putting on stipes and a purple mask. She flicked her hand up, creating a clip to keep her hair out of the way of her eyes.  
  
Juleka examined her new look and said, “Whoa.”  
  
A cruelty queen came at her. New reflexes kicked in. Juleka extended the sharp claws on her gauntlets and cut through the cruelty queen’s chains. Juleka moved her claws toward the cruelty queen’s stomach. Mid motion, Juleka’s claws changed from being sharp to being blunt and charged with electricity. The cruelty queen was zapped when the hit connected. Juleka jolted her fists back and forth like a well-oiled machine, zapping her opponent constantly. Juleka pulled back her fist and put more effort into a strike that blasted the cruelty queen. An explosion of electricity sent her flying passed several heroes and villains. Everyone looked at her. Everyone had gaping mouths wide open eyes; including Juleka. She examined her fingerless gauntlets and exclaimed in astonishment, “Whoa!”  
  
A funeral crashed shot a giant hand from one of this orbs at Rina Rouge. She ran, but it kept following her, persistent and tireless. She slid under a car, causing the hand to grab that in her stead. The hand pulled the car back to the funeral crasher who absorbed it into his orb. But his line of vision had been blocked by the car and once it was removed, the path was clear for Rina Rouge to take him by surprise and miss him up.  
  
A dark ares swung at Juleka horizontally. She bent over backwards and as the hammer passed over her, she used her sharp claws to cut the head from the handle. When Juleka was up, the dark ares pointed his crossbow at her. Juleka quickly grabbed his fist and pointed it to the side. Once he fired in the wrong place, Juleka twisted, breaking his wrist. He wasn’t hard to finish off from there.  
  
A miracle breaker shouted, “Lucky Charm!” and received a chainsaw. After revving it up, she swung it down toward Carapace who defended with his shield. Sparks sprayed continuously as they held their position. With one hand she held the chainsaw and with the other, she prepared a, “Cataclysm!” Carapace grabbed her arm and moved the chainsaw it the cataclysm, destroying both threats at once. Not letting the miracle breaker say another word, Carapace grabbed her shirt collar to keep her in place and kept hitting her in the head with the rim of his shield until she lost consciousness.  
  
The villains that remained dropped in number quickly. With the addition of their newest member, the tide was unchangeably in the heroes’ favor.  
  
A particularly resilient dark ares hovered in the air, shooting at them and deflecting any counter attack with his hammer. Juleka notice that he was looking down at them all, easily able to keep track of the whole group. But he wouldn’t see someone coming from above. Juleka quickly climbed up a building with all four limbs. She jumped off the top of the building, the wind blasting her face as she shot into the sky. Adrenaline surged through her body in an amount she hadn’t felt often enough. She couldn’t help but shout, “WOOOOOOOHOOOOOO!” She dropped downward and kicked both legs into the dark ares. Then she landed with him taking the impact.  
  
The heroes looked around, trying to find their next opponent, but the area was secure. Juleka giggled and said giddily, “That was amazing.”  
  
Ladybug said with a halfhearted smile, “Well, I’m glad someone is have fun.”

  
Ladybug, Carapace, Nina Rouge, and Juleka met Cat Noir on the Eifel Tower. Cat Noir gestured to the Tiger Miraculous holder and asked, “Who’s this?”  
  
Ladybug had an impulse to keep that identity a secret. She was about to tell him not to ask, but she caught herself just in time. She shook her head. Old mentalities can leave behind muscle memory that lasts even though you’ve changed you views and opinions. She told him, “That’s Juleka.”  
  
Cat Noir looked at the small group and asked, “Is it just them?”  
  
Ladybug explained, “I looked for the others, but I couldn’t find them. I think they might have been akumatized or worse.”  
  
Carapace said, “We never looked for that dragon lady or the snake dude.”  
  
Not finding Luka was an obvious decision, but Cat Noir looked at Ladybug expecting an explanation for leaving Kagami out. Ladybug whispered to just Cat Noir, “I figured that Hawk Moth would tell her who I am and possibly convince her to turn on us.”  
  
Despite the break up, Cat Noir wouldn’t have made the same decision. But he could understand where Ladybug was coming from.  
  
Ladybug explained to the rest of the group, “It’s a long story. Let’s just say they are not viable options.” She then asked Cat Noir, “Did you find out where he is?”  
  
Cat Noir said, “I have the directions written down and memorized.”  
  
“Lead the way, Kitty.”

  
Hawk Moth watched the news on a tablet. This was how he was keeping up with chaos, given the fact that he couldn’t see through the eyes of the villains out there.  
  
Nathalie asked, “Sir, because you can’t control the villains when you use this method, how are you going to claim the miraculouses?”  
  
Hawk Moth replied, “Ladybug and Cat Noir can’t keep fighting forever. Soon, the villains will kill them both and I will rip the miraculouses from their corpses. All I have to do is watch and be patient.”  
  
“Sir. The villains are running rampant. If this continues, the city will be destroyed. And with Ladybug dead, I’m not sure if the destruction can be undone.”  
  
Hawk Moth said, “Emily is my world. Bringing her back is worth losing a city.”  
  
Nathalie looked down, unable to make eye contact. Hawk Moth put his attention back on the tablet. There was enough attention taken off of Nathalie for her to slip out of the warehouse. She had been thinking. And even she had a breaking point. Gabriel wouldn’t be seeing her again. . . . Ever.

  
The heroes arrived outside the abandoned warehouse. Most of the group was more than a little anxious. Ladybug asked, “Are you ready?”  
  
Carapace looked at in direction opposite to the warehouse and said nervously, “Oh, dudes. We have a bit of a problem.”  
  
Everyone looked in that direction and saw what he saw. Rina Rouge shouted in annoyance, “Seriously?!”  
  
Dozens of villains were coming for them. More than they could ever hope to defeat. Despite her fear, Juleka told Ladybug and Cat Noir, “Go. We’ll hold them off as long as we can.”  
  
Ladybug gave her a simple nod and leaped away with Cat Noir.  
  
The three support heroes stood in formation as the horde of villains approached. Rina Rouge said, “What is it those poetic types like to say? Once more unto the breach?”  
  
Juleka said, “This is the first time for me.”  
  
Carapace said, “Good thing you’re with a couple of pros. Just stick with us and everything will be fine.”  
  
The trio ran forward and clashed with the oncoming storm. They were completely outmatched and they knew it. They focused on hit and runs to keep their enemies busy and keep themselves alive. They didn’t need to beat them; they just needed to last long enough.

  
There wasn’t much in the warehouse apart from a collection of pillars and years of decay. Ladybug and Cat Noir searched until they reached the top floor. There he was. Behind Hawk Moth were four tortured people tied to chairs. They were the ones that were kidnapped and forced to become Hawk Moth’s Elite templates for the army. The heroes were horrified by the brutality, but they were reassured by the sight of Hawk Moth’s still broken arm in a cast. Hawk Moth shouted, “How did you find this location?!”  
  
They didn’t answer. Eager to satisfy his rage, Cat Noir ran at Hawk Moth. Hawk Moth threw his cane at him like it was a spear. Cat Noir jumped onto a pillar to his left, avoiding the cane and then jumped from the pillar with his fist diving at Hawk Moth, knocking him to his knees. Hawk Moth called his cane to fly back to him. But Ladybug, knowing he could do that, was the one to catch it. Cat Noir grabbed Hawk Moth’s head and moved it into a collision with his knee.  
  
Ladybug took a second to untie Kim and instruct him to free the others and escape.  
  
Hawk stood half way up and strangled Cat Noir. He lifted him up and slammed him down hard enough to break through and drop them into the second floor.  
  
Ladybug followed them down the hole into the second floor, still carrying the cane. As she was still falling, Hawk Moth again called his cane which took Ladybug with it as it flew toward him. When they reached him, Hawk Moth ripped the cane out of her hand and hit her hard in the head.  
  
Outside, five villains were about to burst through the window, but Carapace shouted, “Shelter!” and a force field both blocked their entrance and stunned them when they rammed into it. The three heroes acted quickly to finish off the five villains who made the attempt and went back to the horde. The good news was that the villains didn’t make it in the help Hawk Moth. The bad news was that Carapace only had five minutes before he would detransform.  
  
Hawk Moth was still able to fight well against them despite his broken arm. His one arm was enough to wield his cane. His desperation fueled his resolve. When Cat Noir came at him, he used a kick to stop him and his cane to smack him in the face. Ladybug tried punching him, but Hawk Moth grabbed her fist and threw her away. As she flew, Ladybug wrapped her yoyo around one pillars, swung around it, and kicked Hawk Moth on reentry.  
  
The numbers outside were getting too strong. Nina Rouge said, “Mirage.” An illusion of Ladybug and Cat Noir chasing Hawk Moth fooled half of the villains into following them away from the warehouse. The good news was that there were half as many villains as there were before. The bad news was that Rina Rouge had five minutes before she would detransform.  
  
Ladybug and Cat Noir were charging at Hawk Moth from opposite directions as he was on one knee and not ready for them. He decided that if he couldn’t get up fast enough, he would have to go down. He raised his fist and stuck the floor so hard that it broke sending all of them falling into the first floor.  
  
On the first floor, their battle raged for some time. With each minute that went by, their odds of success dropped.  
  
Time was running out. For Carapace, time was up. He shouted, “No, no, no, no, no!” as he detransform. With villains all around, fear overtook him. Enough fear for an akuma to change him into a dark ares.  
  
Ladybug was lifting herself off the floor. Hawk Moth approached and kicked forward, but Cat Noir’s extended staff to block the path of Hawk Moth’s foot. Ladybug got the rest of the way up, giving Hawk Moth an uppercut as she rose. Hawk Moth tried to retaliate with his cane, but Cat Noir blocked that attack too, allowing Ladybug to punch Hawk Moth’s cast, shattering it and agonizing his arm. They were taking the upper hand, but it was almost too late.  
  
Nina Rouge screamed, “Not good! Not good! Not good!” as her transformation also dropped. Within seconds, she was changed by an akuma into a cruelty queen. That left Juleka alone. She was understandably frightened by the odds. This was her first day as a super hero and she lost her companions. There was enough freight for an akuma to change her into a miracle breaker.  
  
The support heroes had given Ladybug and Cat Noir all the time they could.  
  
Through the window, Ladybug saw the tidal wave of villains coming straight for them. She told Cat Noir, “Grab him and run!”  
  
Each of them grabbed Hawk Moth by one of his arms, dragged him to him to opposite side of the building, and jumped through the window with him. Using the momentum, Ladybug and Cat Noir threw Hawk Moth to a distance. The villains were only a few seconds away from the warehouse. Ladybug threw her yoyo back into the building and wrapped around all of the pillars on the first floor. She screamed, “Kitty!” and after hearing that, Cat Noir helped her pull the string. The villains came closer and closer until finally . . .  
  
CRACK!  
  
All the pillars broke, collapsing the warehouse. The villains stopped in front of the falling structure. The villains might have been able to go around, but it would be too late. Ladybug and Cat Noir were closing in on a weakened Hawk Moth. He couldn’t just wait for the villains. He lost his back up, his arm was broken, and he was in agony. But he wouldn’t give up. He had one last idea and he enacted it quickly.  
  
Hawk Moth willed all the akumas to fly out of the villains and be purified. The villains all other the city were all changed back to normal civilians, but that also allowed Hawk Moth to use another akuma that he put into his miraculous and he changed.  
  
This story’s final boss had a second form.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Author's Note: In case you're reading this in the far future; yes that's not how the Tiger Miraculous works. You've probably realized, but this fanfic was written after Miracle Queen, so I had to make stuff up.
> 
> So, we're almost at the finish line. Next week, I will be uploading the LAST chapter of MIRACULOUS CONTEMPT! Thank you for coming this far. I hope to find you there at the end.
> 
> Before we go, I've been wondering; which villain identities did you like better. Let me know in a comment.
> 
> Anansi VS Air Cannon
> 
> Silencer VS Jealous Luka
> 
> Volpina VS Kitsune
> 
> Reflekta VS Night Hollow
> 
> Bubbler VS Beat Dropper
> 
> And don't forget to read Disney Princesses: Extermination.


	14. Chapter 14

Hawk Moth changed into something vile. He was an eight foot tall monster. All over him was green with dark purple stripes. His disfigured head had pincers on each side of his mouth and large, hollow eyes. His cane was nowhere to be found, but he looked like he didn’t need it. His extendable left arm was shaped like a giant caterpillar, no longer broken. Hawk Moth had become Degradation.  
  
When Ladybug and Cat Noir rushed him, Degradation swung his extendable arm, smacking them both to the side.  
  
Recovering from the hit, Cat Noir said, “Just when I thought he couldn’t get any more disgusting.”  
  
Degradation shrieked intensely and charged at them. Ladybug and Cat Noir were bashed mercilessly. Degradation’s strikes were like getting hit by a truck. Ladybug found an opportunity and punched Degradation in the stomach. He didn’t even more. His gooey flesh just absorbed her hit with a squish. It was like punching a slimy trampoline. In response to her ineffective attack, Degradation grabbed her wrist, threw her into the air, and smacked her with his extendable arm like hitting a baseball with a bat. Next, Degradation tried to bite Cat Noir’s head. To stop him, Cat Noir grabbed the pincers on the sides of Degradation’s mouth and pushed hard to keep his jaws away. Struggling to keep the remaining distance, Cat Noir felt Degradation’s breath blast warmer and warmer on his face as he bared down on him. Degradation’s extendable, caterpillar shaped arm crawled around Cat Noir and constricted, slowly breaking Cat Noir’s ability to resist. Degradation’s mouth got closer to Cat Noir’s head . . . AND THEN . . .  
  
Clank. A shield ricocheted off of Degradation’s head, giving Cat Noir the chance to pry himself free.  
  
The shield had been thrown by Carapace who had recovered along with Juleka and Nina Rouge.  
  
Degradation didn’t speak. He just pointed a beastly finger at Carapace and stared. That alone was enough to make him tremble with fear. Degradation charged toward the support heroes. Juleka and Rina Rouge tried to defend Carapace, but they just got run over. Degradation raised both arms about to slam Carapace. “SHELTER!” Just in time, a force field appeared to protect Carapace. It was strong, but Degradation was stronger. He pounded against the force field relentlessly and tirelessly. Ladybug and Cat Noir hurried to save Carapace. They hit his back with their staff and yoyo, but if they didn’t know better, they’d say Degradation didn’t even notice them. Carapace watched in horror as cracks formed in the force field as Degradation raged viciously. Carapace was convinced that he was about to die. The force field shattered and Degradation pounded down on Carapace like an angry gorilla. Carapace was gradually crushed, unable to defend himself.  
  
Carapace stopped moving, but Degradation kept pounding just to make sure. Cat Noir ran to a better angle while shouting, “GET AWAY FROM HIM!” and hit Degradation in the head, doing a bit more damage than before. Only then did he stop pounding Carapace’s limp body.  
  
As the battle was taken away from Carapace, Rina Rouge ran to his side. “CARAPACE!” she screamed franticly. She kneeled and put her fingers on his wrist, searching for a pulse, but finding none. She whispered in agony, “Nino.” She pressed her fingers harder against his wrist, still finding nothing. She was devastated, but she was more determined. The only way to save him was to defeat Degradation/Hawk Moth. She ran into the fray . . . not that they started winning when she did.  
  
Degradation rampaged. The heroes’ attacks were insufficient at best. The abomination they were fighting – NO – trying to fight was both an unstoppable force and an immovable object.  
  
Ladybug and Cat Noir were both thinking the same thing. “It can’t end like this.”  
  
Degradation grabbed Rina Rouge’s leg and threw her at Cat Noir.  
  
“We came so close! Everything was perfect.”  
  
Degradation extended his arm high into the sky and hammered it down on Ladybug despite her distance.  
  
“We started a heathy relationship, we got the team together, and we fought off the horde of villains.”  
  
Juleka dug all ten claws into Degradation’s stomach, gushing green slime out of his squishy flesh. It hurt, but only to the point of annoyance. Degradation back handed her, causing her to rip out the claws while she stumbled, but kept standing. Cat Noir and Rina Rouge were approaching from behind. So Degradation swung his extendable arm, first sweeping Juleka’s legs, and then smacking the approaching heroes in the same rotation. Before Juleka could get up, Degradation stomped on her back.  
  
“But here we are, falling apart at the finish line.”  
  
Degradation stomped on Juleka’s back until Ladybug wrapped her yoyo around his neck. “KITTY!” Cat Noir grabbed the string and helped her pull degradation away from Juleka. Rina Rouge took the opportunity to kick Degradation in the face. With his right hand, Degradation grabbed the yoyo string and with his extendable arm he wrapped up Rina Rouge. He pulled on the string, casting Ladybug and Cat Noir away. He took the string off of his neck and his extendable arm, which was already wrapped around her torso, crawled over her face as well. She squirmed and flung her legs around, but her movements were limited. Degradation twisted her torso and head in different directions until . . .  
  
SNAP!  
  
Degradation dropped her body, letting her extremities drape across the dirt. As soon as Ladybug and Cat Noir were on their feet and ready to fight again, they saw that they’d lost another.  
  
Juleka stabbed him from behind and ran up his back, ripping through his flesh the entire way. She jumped off his shoulder, turned around in midair and swung all her claws, but missed his head as it pulled back. After Juleka landed, Degradation plunged his head forward, colliding with hers.  
  
Ladybug panicked, unable to handle losing another. She screamed, “LUCKY CHARM!” She couldn’t believe what fell into her hands. She was stunned, but she had no choice but to snap herself out of it and run to Juleka’s aid. She could figure out what she was supposed to do with a pistol later. Though she knew she only had five minutes before she would detransform.  
  
Ladybug and Cat Noir rammed into Degradation together, just barely able to get him away from Juleka. But not for long.  
  
Degradation swung his arms out in opposite directions, hitting the two heroes. Degradation put his sights back on Juleka. He put his hand over her whole face. He pulled her down, almost getting her to lay on her stomach. He bent her backward, arching her spine further until . . .  
  
CRACK!  
  
A scream was muffled against Degradation’s palm. Juleka’s back was broken. He kept pushing, crushing her bones until the muffled screams were silenced.  
  
Ladybug and Cat Noir avoided Degradation’s reach, knowing how little they could hurt him and knowing how much he could hurt them. They could only hope to keep themselves alive and figure out a plan. This continued for too long.  
  
Degradation put his extendable arm on the ground and used it to launch himself into the air. He landed on the pile of rubble where he picked up a brick wall. Seeming to ignore gravity, Degradation launched himself into the air with it and threw it at Cat Noir. The wall smashed into him, crushing his ribs on impact, and pinning him under its weight once it landed. Degradation knew that Cat Noir might be able lift the wall, so he picked up more and piled them on. Cat Noir could barely breathe with all that weight on top of him.  
  
Ladybug was falling apart. She’d lost three teammates and was couldn’t save her most important one. She pulled out the pistol. She didn’t think it would work, but she was desperate. She fired a few rounds into Degradation. The bullets passed all the way through his body, stinging, but not crippling him. Looking close, Ladybug could see the Butterfly Miraculous beneath his neck, under a see through layer of skin. She was running out of bullets, and she wasn’t sure if even a direct shot could get that thing loose. Not from that angle, but since bullets could pass all the through . . .  
  
She had two bullets, one plan, and thirty seconds before she would transform back.  
  
Degradation charged at Ladybug. He was about to strike, but Cat Noir threw his staff which hit Degradation’s approaching fist, knocking it off course. Cat Noir had thrown it so well that it ricocheted back to him where he was still pinned under the walls. Degradation kept swinging at Ladybug. She dodged as best she could, but she wouldn’t be able to keep it up forever. She only had fifteen seconds left. Cat Noir extended his staff so far it struck Degradation’s head. That was the last straw. Degradation could finish off Cat Noir first and worry about Ladybug later. Degradation turned his back on Ladybug. That was exactly what she needed. As Degradation ran toward Cat Noir, Ladybug had to get the shot just right. TEN SECONDS LEFT! The angle still wasn’t right. Degradation was too tall; she had to get higher. NINE SECONDS LEFT! Cat Noir was about to die just like the other heroes. EIGHT SECONDS LEFT! Ladybug jumped. She held the pistol as steady as she could. Everything was counting on her aiming perfectly. She was as sure as she was ever going to be and she didn’t have any more time.  
  
BANG!  
  
The bullet flew into Degradation’s back and drilled. It passed through his insides and stuck what was on the other side; the Butterfly Miraculous. Exploding from its hiding place, the miraculous soured toward the hero in Degradation’s path. “CATACLYSM!” Cat Noir caught the Butterfly Miraculous and turned it to ash. The akuma flew out and Ladybug purified it. That was the last thing she did before detransforming.  
  
Marinette was flooded with relief. They were seconds away from defeat, but their villain changed from Degradation into Hawk Moth and from Hawk Moth into Gabriel who shouted, “NOOOOO!”  
  
“It’s over, Gabriel!” Marinette said breathlessly. “You’ve got nothing!” She kept the pistol pointing at him.  
  
Gabriel had nothing. He had no army, no akuma, no miraculous, no plan. Gabriel had nothing.  
  
But he wouldn’t give up.  
  
Gabriel ran at her, not caring about the pistol in her hands. “STOP!” she shouted. Gabriel pulled back his fist as he kept running and madness shined through his eyes. “I said STOP!” Marinette didn’t want to pull the trigger. Would Adrien ever forgive her? Would she ever get over it, herself?  
  
“Shoot!” cried Cat Noir desperately. With that, Marinette knew two things. First, Adrien wouldn’t hold it against her. Second, he would be there to help her cope with what she was about to do.  
  
BANG!  
  
Gabriel dropped. He almost fell on top of her, but he just brushed his head and shoulder against her legs. Marinette screamed as she back away, not wanting to touch his corpse. She gripped the sides of her head, filled with self-imposed freight. She was justified. She knew that. But she had trouble believing it. It didn’t feel justified. It just felt like she shot someone in the heart. She couldn’t take her eyes off the body. Marinette couldn’t handle it. She’d just killed someone. She put a hand over her mouth and started crying.  
  
Cat Noir stared in shock. His father was dead. NO! NO, his monster was dead! No. No, his father was dead. He wanted to be happy or, at the very least, relieved. But he couldn’t stop himself from being devastated. He was frustrated to have all the good memories of his father pop back up as if they were wanted. Why did it have to hurt to see such a horrible person die? It wasn’t fair! He should’ve been able to be happy. But that was his father.  
  
Tears formed in his eyes and slid down his face. Marinette fell to her knees.  
  
Cat Noir had to get himself out from under those wall. He put his staff under the walls and extended it upward. It took a little bit of time, considering how heavy it was. Cat Noir had to use his other arm to help lift it all. Eventually, he got the wall high enough for him to slip out. “Plagg, claw in.”  
  
Adrien fell to his knees beside Marinette and put an arm around her shoulders. Marinette struggled to speak in the middle of all that uncontrollable crying. “I’m sorry.”  
  
“Don’t be. You didn’t do anything wrong.” Adrien voice was chocked up, but sincere.  
  
“I didn’t want to.”  
  
“I know. . . . I know.”  
  
There they sat, crying and holding each other close. This should have been a happy moment. That’s what made it so sad. They couldn’t imagine how painful it would’ve been if they didn’t have each other to cry on.

  
After a quick bite, Tikki was recharged and ready for Marinette to transform. Ladybug held the pistol, staring at it with conflicted feelings. It hurt, doing what she needed to do. But ultimately, it did kind of save her a lot of trouble. Gabriel knew her identity and could have told everyone in prison. And that would have been if they could actually prove he was Hawk Moth. She shook her head, not wanting to think about it anymore. She threw the pistol into the sky and said, “Miraculous Ladybug.”  
  
Miraculous ladybugs danced across the whole city. All the damages brought to Paris by the event were gone, the three support heroes were revived, and Françoise Dupont was restored. They wondered if Gabriel would come back too. But he didn’t. He was dead; forever. Another thing that surprisingly didn’t come back was the Butterfly Miraculous. But Nooroo did. Ladybug and Cat Noir were stunned to see a kwami without a miraculous. Nooroo looked around, wondering who was wearing his miraculous, but, as he realized in time, there was no miraculous. He was free. Tears of joy filled his face as he looked to the sky. He was free and he wanted find out what he could do with that freedom. He flew away. Ladybug would see him rejoin the other kwamis, but not for a few days.  
  
Cat Noir asked, “I wonder if it’s better this way. Maybe that’s why the Miraculous Ladybugs didn’t bring him or the Butterfly Miraculous back.”  
  
Ladybug told him, “‘Better’ sounds wrong. Maybe it was just . . . necessary.”  
  
Cat Noir nodded somberly. “Maybe.”  
  
Ladybug and Cat Noir joined the other heroes. They were far enough away to not immediately notice Gabriel’s body.  
  
Juleka told the others, “That was the freakiest experience of my entire life. . . . CAN WE DO IT AGAIN?!”  
  
Nino replied, “I’d say you’re repeat material. Got to wait until next time though.” Nino took off his miraculous and held it out to Ladybug. Juleka and Alya followed his example. Ladybug reached out, about to grab them. But she though again. It wasn’t like there was still a living super villain who knew all their identities. And she trusted them. Besides, making them give the miraculouses back was the idea of foolish fools. Ladybug pulled her hand back while they still had the miraculouses held out. They were confused, but also excited. They wondered if she was thinking what they were hoping. Ladybug smiled warmly and said, “Keep them. You’ve earned it.”  
  
Their faces lit up. Overjoyed by the idea, Nino shouted, “Seriously?!”  
  
“Yep. You’ll have to agree to a few ground rules, of course.” Ladybug looked straight at Alya specifically. “Like ‘No posting your identities on the ladyblog’.”  
  
“I wasn’t going to,” Alya protested.  
  
“Just had to make sure.”  
  
Juleka asked, “You trust me with this? This is my first day as a super hero.”  
  
Ladybug said, “Well, I can tell you have potential.”  
  
Juleka found her answer lacking; as if Ladybug was hiding something; something like how well she knew her. Juleka looked Ladybug in the eyes and mentally connected a few dots. Juleka held up a horizontal finger in front of her face, blocking Ladybug’s mask from her sight.  
  
Yep.  
  
Juleka smiled at her knowingly. And Ladybug smiled awkwardly, aware of what Juleka might have figured out. Juleka told her, “You really are a friend.”  
  
Nino asked, “Are you sure about this, though. I mean, what if one of us gets akumatized?”  
  
Cat Noir assured them, “You won’t have to worry about akumas anymore. That’s all over.”  
  
“So, where’s Hawk Moth?” Alya asked.  
  
With a heavy heart, Cat Noir pointed to Gabriel’s body.  
  
“That’s heavy,” Juleka reacted surprisingly calm.  
  
Alya asked in astonishment, “Is that Gabriel Agreste?!”  
  
“Ah, man,” Nino said as his shoulder drooped and his spirits fell. “Poor Adrien. My due is gonna be torn up when he finds out.”  
  
Cat Noir was moved by his friend’s concern. He put a hand on Nino’s shoulder and said, “I’m sure he’ll be okay with friends like you to help him.”  
  
Juleka took a hard look at Cat Noir, ignoring the cat ears and eyes.  
  
Yep.  
  
Juleka put a hand on Nino’s other shoulder, but looked at Cat Noir. “We’ll all be there for Adrien.” Juleka looked at Ladybug and continued, “A friend of ours; a good friend, Marinette will be there. She really cares about Adrien. And she’s the type of person everyone’s better off for knowing. Adrien’s not going to drown in sorrow while she’s around.”  
  
Ladybug’s heart warmed. Her teary eyes locked with Juleka’s.  
  
“What took you so long to save us, Ladybug?!” screamed an ungrateful voice.  
  
“Hi, Chloe,” everyone said drearily.  
  
Chloe stomped up to Ladybug and shouted, “Do you know how long he had us kidnapped?!”  
  
“Well, I would have come sooner, but I knew you were one of the hostages,” Ladybug joked.  
  
“And another thing, what did you do to Gabriel Agreste?!” Chloe gestured in the body’s direction, more annoyed than horrified.  
  
“He was Hawk Moth, Chloe. It was the only way I had to stop him at the moment. I’m surprised you didn’t know who he was since you worked with him before when you became Miracle Queen by choice.”  
  
“Well, I wouldn’t have sided with the super villain if you were a better hero!”  
  
Another voice came. This one said calmly, but emotionally tired, “So, you did it. No more Hawk Moth.” Lila arrived and stood near Ladybug and Chloe.  
  
Cat Noir said, “Thanks for telling us where to find him. This doesn’t mean you’re off the hook for helping him, though.”  
  
Lila said threateningly, “Listen, you have no idea how dangerous it is to mess with me. If you tell anyone I helped Hawk Moth, I can make your entire life miserable.”  
  
Chloe did a double take. “Wait, wait, wait! YOU were Hawk Moth’s right hand girl?!”  
  
“Yes. You weren’t exactly smart enough for him, so I was the one he turned to.”  
  
“You think you made a better assistant-villain than me?! That’s ridiculous! Ottery ridiculous!”  
  
Lila told Chloe, “Oh, really? I tricked Juleka into turning into Night Hollow and I helped Hawk Moth choose and find his four elites. All you did was let him akumitaze you.”  
  
Ladybug said, “Girls, girls. It doesn’t matter which one of you was a better assistant to the villain. All that matters is that you two are going to juvie for your involvement in Hawk Moth’s crimes.”  
  
Chloe and Lila both pointed at Ladybug and screamed, “You don’t have any proof!”  
  
Ladybug had the smuggest smile on her face. She turned to look at someone else and said proudly, “That’s my girl.”  
  
“And two more bite the dust!” Ayla cheered triumphantly. She had been recording the conversation on her phone.  
  
Chloe and Lila stood motionless and horrified. They lives as they knew them were over. Alya had them on record admitting to everything. Lila asked with a weak and stilted voice, “Did you get . . .”  
  
“Every everything, everything,” Alya confirmed.  
  
Chloe freaked out while Lila shook her head franticly repeated the word “No,” many, many times.  
  
“I’m too pretty to go to juvie!” Chloe shrieked.  
  
“Chloe?” Sabrina asked sadly as she approached. “Is that true?”  
  
Chloe looked at Sabrina and wanted explain herself, but she was caught. Chloe told her, “It’s not my fault.”  
  
“It sure sounded like it was.” Sabrina’s voice was vengeful and her soul was hurt.  
  
“I did it because . . . it was a sting operation! Yeah, a sting operation!” Chloe lied. And she wasn’t fooling anyone.  
  
Sabrina was furious. She had been a loyal and helpful friend to this horrible person who treated her so poorly. With the illusion of a good friendship broken, Sabrina opened her eyes to all that Chloe had put her through. With each memory, Sabrina’s hatred grew. Chloe wasn’t her friend, she was a selfish little brat who used Sabrina for years and gave her nothing in return. Sabrina grit her teeth and prepared her hand for the mother of all slaps. Sabrina’s open hand rocketed through the air, shining with furry and storming with power. They could swear they saw fire blaze from her hand like a meteor entering the earth’s atmosphere. Sabrina’s hand smashed into Chloe’s face with thunder erupting from the catastrophic event. Chloe fell backward, a red handprint covering her cheek. She landed head first and as she writhed on the ground, she couldn’t decide what was worse; going to juvie or the storm of stinging on her face.  
  
Sabrina looked at Lila with the hatred lasting in her eyes. “Your next.”  
  
Lila scream in terror and ran as quick as she could while Sabrina chased after her.  
  
“Now, that’s the Sabrina I’ve been waiting to see,” Alya said.  
  
The heroes watched as Sabrina perused Lila around in a circle. Juleka told the others, “Thanks for brining me in, guys.”  
  
Cat Noir said, “You know, the worst might be behind us now. And together, we’re going to do things better than ever before. There’s no telling what we can accomplish now. This is the start of something . . . miraculous.”

  
The elevator slowly descended into the chamber. Through the glass, Nathalie took in the sight of the butterflies and the window that let in enough light for plant to grow down there. When the elevator opened, Nathalie hesitantly stepped forward, knowing solemnly what she had come to do.  
  
Emily was still there. Still in a coma and laying in her life support machine. Nathalie looked at her mournfully, but in a way, it was kind of felt bittersweet. At least, after that day, there would be some closure. Nathalie put her hand on the glass surrounding Emily. She took a deep breath and said, “Rest in peace, Emily.”  
  
She shut it down. Emily’s life support systems were turned off for good. She even made sure all the lights were turned off down in that chamber. There would be absolutely no electricity used by anything there after her leave. She reentered the elevator with plans to cut power to even that. No one would step foot in that chamber again for decades. She took one last look down at Emily, wondering what she’d do differently if she had to live the past few years again. But at least it was over. Next, she left a note explaining to Adrien that they were never going to see each other again. She would leave Paris and she was never coming back. It was over.  
  
Emily wouldn’t have asked for it all. So many villains created for her sake. So many lives endangered for her sake. Gabriel wasting his life and ignoring their son for her sake. She didn’t ask for any of it. And she would’ve been horrified to find out about it. It was almost merciful that up until the moment she died, Emily never knew. Her last memories were not bad ones to have, all things considered.

  
One month later.  
  
Ladybug entered Adrien’s room through the window, having been asked to meet her there.  
  
Adrien bounded to feet his feet off the couch and said enthusiastically, “Hey, Bugaboo.”  
  
Ladybug said dreamily, “Oh, never stop calling me Bugaboo.”  
  
Ladybug flung her yoyo, wrapping the string around both their torsos, bringing them close. Ladybug kissed Adrien while they were both wrapped up together.  
  
After their lips parted, Ladybug untied them and detransformed.  
  
“So,” Marinette began as they sat down on the couch. “Things have been a bit different lately. For instance, Gorilla is your legal guardian now.”  
  
“Yep.” Adrien nodded and then pursed his lips.  
  
“How does that even work?” Marinette laughed.  
  
Adrien held his chin thoughtfully and answered, “Oh, I would say that it works about half of the time.”  
  
“That bad, huh.”  
  
“No. He’s trying his best. Besides, it was either this or moving in with my aunt which would have meant moving in with my cousin, Felix.”  
  
Marinette replied with a comically excessive tone, “Then this is for the best!”  
  
After a bit of giggling, Adrien stared off into space. “I know I’m better off with Gorilla. I don’t know why I still miss my father,” he said quietly. “I mean, sometimes I’m happy he’s gone, but every once and a while, I start wishing he was here. I shouldn’t, though. I’m probably just being dumb.”  
  
“It’s not that you’re being dumb, Adrien. I didn’t know Gabriel well enough to know if he was ever a good dad, but I do know he was manipulative. I don’t know if what you’re feeling is holding on to the best times or holding onto the lies he told to make you love him. But either way, that’s not dumb of you.”  
  
Adrien puffed air through his nose in a bit of somber amusement. “I didn’t know him well enough either.” Adrien shook out of his daze and said, “But hey, things have been different for you too. Are you feeling better about what you had to do?”  
  
Marinette sucked in some air and composed herself. “It’s not as bad as it used to be. I know I didn’t do anything wrong, but it still feels . . . weird; knowing that I shot someone to death. I can’t figure out if it doesn’t feel real or if it feels more real than anything I’ve ever done. It’s weird. Lately I’ve been wondering how I’d feel if I had to do it again. It might pile on and double what I felt the first time because I would know I did it twice. But it might be a lot easier because I’ve already come to terms. I don’t know. I’m not sure I’d like to find out.”  
  
“Obviously, killing someone effects people differently. I heard that part of what makes soldiers react differently was how they were treated afterwards. Troops from World War II were helped by a hero’s welcome, but Vietnam Veterans were shunned when they got back. I hope that I didn’t make things harder for you.”  
  
“No,” Marinette said instantly. “No, you didn’t. You were always telling me I had to do it and that Gabriel was the only one to blame.”  
  
Adrien asked, “Did I ever tell you that I’m proud of you? Because I am.”  
  
She smiled weakly at him. Marinette gave Adrien a quick, soft kiss.  
  
“What have your parents been saying?” Adrien asked.  
  
“My parents didn’t really talk about whether I was justified; they just wanted me to be okay. Thankfully they never thought I should stop being Ladybug. I always thought they would tell me it’s too dangerous, but they’ve been really supportive. And it’s nice to not have to make up a story when I need to go transform. The only problem was, they wished I would have told them sooner.” Marinette took a second to think before she told Adrien, “It says something about Gabriel that you never told him you were Cat Noir. You wanted us to tell each other, you encouraged me to tell my parents, but you never told your own father.”  
  
Adrien explained, “Yeah. I . . . never really had a relationship with my father where I felt like I could just tell him things. Early on, I would tell him how certain things made me feel, and he would just shut me down. Eventually, I just started holding everything in; because he wouldn’t care to hear it.”  
  
Marinette gently placed her hand on his. “You won’t need to hold things in with me, Adrien.”  
  
Adrien and Marinette gazed into each other’s eyes, each of them knowing that the other would keep them from breaking under the strain. What happened a month ago wouldn’t be their last hardship. Adrien would grow up without his parents, Marinette would struggle to make it big as a fashion designer, but they would get through it all together.  
  
Eventually Adrien broke the silence, saying, “Speaking of different; no more super villains.” Adrien stood from the couch and transformed. Cat Noir told Marinette, “All we get these days are regular criminals and even they’re getting hard to find.”  
  
Marinette stood from the couch and examined him closely. “That isn’t disappointment I detect, is it?” she asked wryly. “This is all good news?”  
  
“True, but it lacks excitement. What do you say we have a little race to make up for the lost adrenaline?”  
  
Cat Noir started toward the window, but Marinette called out, “Wait, we can’t go yet!”  
  
“Why not?”  
  
“We still need a kiss.”  
  
Huh?  
  
Deep in confusion, Cat Noir walked back toward Marinette while saying, “Um, I’ll give you another kiss, but you say that like you haven’t kissed me twice since you got here.”  
  
Marinette explained, “Silly Kitty, I kissed Adrien twice, but Cat Noir deserves some love too, right?” Marinette playfully tapped Cat Noir’s bell with her finger.  
  
“That makes sense to me,” Cat Noir said as he wrapped his arms around her waist. Marinette put one hand on the back his neck and the other on the back of his head. Then, Marinette pressed her lips against Cat Noir’s. This one lasted a while. I felt so good to know that they didn’t need to wait for a spell that needs breaking or a confession after a near death battle. They could just kiss. Just because they wanted to. Marinette kept hold of him, but she took her lips off of his just a moment. She said breathlessly, “Tikki, spots on,” and put her lips right back. They kept kissing as the light ran up her body and she became Ladybug. Cat Noir got both of them in one kiss.  
  
After they’d been satisfied, Ladybug broke away, looked Cat Noir in the eyes and told him, “LAST ONE TO THE EIFEL TOWER BUYS LUNCH!” Then Ladybug pushed away and bolted for the window.  
  
“You’re own!” he shouted as he chased after her.  
  
They swung and leapt through Paris with incredible speed and unbelievable ease. All the while, they kept their eyes open for any crimes that might need stopping. Paris would be safe thanks to a couple of love stuck teenagers with magic jewelry. Isn’t that just . . . Miraculous?  
  
  
  
The End.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I thought I'd be more emotional at the end of my first fanfiction. Maybe it's because I know that I'm just getting started as an author. One day, MVPKnight will be known as a legend. You ain't seen nothing yet. But for now, tell me what your thoughts are on Miraculous Contempt.
> 
> Thank you for reading and please, PLEASE read Disney Princesses: Extermination.
> 
> Hello! This is MVPKnight from the future. I have come to tell you of my third fanfiction.
> 
> His mind is deep in thought as his pilots the ship. Is it too late for him to truly gain redemption? Will he ever become a man his son can be proud of? He doesn't know and he can't stop worrying that he is too far gone. A few short hours ago, he thought his son would join him in the darkness, but his son did not come to him as predicted. Now, he can only hope that his son will embrace him in the light. Even if it's hopeless, he knows there is no turning back know. Even if his son will not accept him, he has one person who believes in him.
> 
> There are however a few things to take solace in. Darth Vader has always been accustomed to war. Now he has the entire Empire to wage war against. And he, at least, has his old apprentice to fight at his side.
> 
> Star Wars: The Unending
> 
> Coming October 31st
> 
> Star Wars: The Unending is a what if story in which Darth Vader turns to the light, but doesn't die. In Star Wars: Return of the Jedi, Luke leaves to face Darth Vader, but in Star Wars: The Unending, Lia talks Luke out going to face him and instead Vader is visited by a vision of Ahsoka who is communication with him from another planet. This time, she convinces him to return to the light, but that doesn't mean everything will be sunshine and rainbows. Not only does Vader have to handle his past crimes colliding with his new conscience, but he also has to wonder if he can ever have the connection with his son he desperately wants. Remember, in this timeline, Luke never came to him in hopes of turning him to the light. . . . Oh, and there will be lightsaber fights.
> 
> If you're wondering how familiar you'll need to be to with Star Wars to understand this story, let me break it down for ya. I'm trying to write this in such a way where anyone who has seen the original trilogy (A New Hope, The Empire Strikes Back, and Return of the Jedi) will be able to understand what's going on it this story. Anything you need to know about the events of the prequels or the tv shows will be explained. For example, Ahsoka plays a huge role in this story, but if you're unfamiliar with her, don't worry because I'll explain everything you need to know about her. Though, I do recommend that you watch the TV shows, Clone Wars and Rebels. (Heads up: Ahsoka is really annoying at first, but she gets better.) Also, if you hate the new movies, good news; so do I. I'm basically writing this while pretending they never happened.
> 
> Thank you for reading. Please comment and subscribe.


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